


Cause I'm in Need of Some Restraint, So if You Meet Me Have Some Courtesy, Have Some Sympathy, Have Some Taste

by ObliqueOptimism



Series: The Rolling Scones Bakery [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Overdose, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Not Beta Read, POV Alternating, Unreliable Narrator, modern dave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25372615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObliqueOptimism/pseuds/ObliqueOptimism
Summary: Klaus didn'tmeanto trouble the nice man who runs the bakery with the scones that are better than heroin. Except for some reason, the man keeps saying it's no trouble at all, and he's even ushering Klaus inside because it's cold outside. This is really not standard operating procedure at all, and Klaus doesn't think this night can get any weirder.
Relationships: Dave/Klaus Hargreeves
Series: The Rolling Scones Bakery [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872691
Comments: 286
Kudos: 926





	1. Champagne and Reefer

**Author's Note:**

> wrote all of this chapter today! how exciting! more to come! next chapter is prob going to be dave pov of this one? as a heads up. also why work on any of my other wips when i can start a new one? thanks to everyone who dealt with me today and sharing links and asking if its any good and all that jazz. extra thanks to penn for the summary.
> 
> things i'm bad at  
> 1 articulating my thoughts and feelings  
> 2 summaries

Klaus wasn’t sure at first why the wall was usually so warm. It was a brick wall, like any of the others in the alley, but this particular one, next to the dumpster, _was always warm._ Then he realized it belonged to the 60’s themed bakery, The Rolling Scones.

He blamed Ben not for telling him why the wall was warm. Though to be fair, Ben would often direct him to the wall by The Rolling Scones so maybe Ben thought Klaus had put the picture together already.

Ben should have known better.

He’d never been inside. He had peeked in the windows, smelt the baked goods, ate out of the dumpster. He should’ve figured out sooner why the wall was warm, he really should have, but to be fair, he was also _very high_. Like, _all the time_. So it was harder to put the puzzle together as he leaned against the warm wall, eating the stale, half ate, baked goods.

Since Klaus hung out there often, he had picked up a few things about the bakery and its owner. He knew that the guy seemed to be the only one who worked here, he had no employees. At least that Klaus could tell, but, as stated, he was high all the time so he could’ve missed something. But Klaus had seen the owner show up early and leave late. Well past the time when bakeries were normally open. 

Could be he had an apartment upstairs.

Klaus for sure didn’t know.

But Klaus had also seen him take and drop off baked goods at some of the nearby shelters. He’d seen him leave with boxes, as Klaus hid behind a dumpster. He’d seen him drop off similar boxes when he managed to get into a shelter at night. So Klaus knew he probably didn’t put rat poison on the dumpster goods like the bakery a few blocks away. He felt safe when pressed against the warm wall, a dumpster scone in his hand. 

Those scones were better than heroin.

Klaus had never been inside the bakery though. Why would he? Not like he’d purchase anything. Besides, even if the guy donates to the homeless, no one wants people like him inside their shop. Can’t let the baker lose his customers and blame all the homeless for what Klaus did and stop donating the food. He could take a tip from the Rat Poison Bakery and make it so that Klaus had no reason beyond the warm wall to hang around his shop.

Klaus knew he could easily drive people away from the bakery. So he kept distance during the day, best he could. And then at night, when it got cold, he’d seek shelter there.

Which is what he was doing. Seeking shelter there. 

With the warm wall behind him and dumpster to the side, he had a half eaten brownie in his hands and was slowly eating it. The cold was closing in around him, and Ben watched with sad eyes. He’d already tried some shelters earlier but they were all full and he didn’t really want to find someone to go home with for the night. It was so much work when he _had_ to do it. He loved going to the parties and meeting the people sure, but some days he didn’t have the energy for it. 

Maybe because he’d taken some downers instead of uppers earlier?

But he just wanted to eat a bit, keep warm, and sleep. 

So he’d gone to the warm wall. It was a nicer part of town, people like him often chased away by cops or the locals, but Klaus was very good at sneaking to just this alley. Just this spot. Don’t be seen or he’d never be able to come back. They’d hunt him down worse than the ghosts did. 

It had started snowing a few hours ago.

Klaus didn’t have anything but some sandals.

So they were tucked up against his body, not wanting more damage to his poor little toes than he already had. He liked to keep his toes painted black so that no one noticed the dead nail, killed by frostbite. His coat was damp from the snow, making the chill seep into his bones. 

But the wall was warm.

He’d finished his brownie and ignored Ben when he asked Klaus to look in the dumpster and see if there was more food for him. He was tired and cold. He just wanted to sleep.

Which was why he didn’t hear the baker coming around the side of the building, his feet crunching in the snow, trash in hand.

What caught Klaus’s attention was when the baker was shaking him awake, looking more worried than Ben, “Hey? Sir? Are you okay?”

Klaus giggled, he was just called _sir_. No one called him sir. Sometimes he had to call others sir, but Klaus? Never. “‘m fine,” Klaus muttered.

“You really aren’t. You’re freezing. What are you even doing out here?” the baker started to lift Klaus up so he was standing.

“Your wall is warm,” Klaus muttered.

“Well inside is warmer, c’mon,” the baker wrapped an around Klaus and his damp coat, walking him around to the front of the building.

As he opened the door, he turned to Klaus, “I’m Dave.”

“Klaus.”

Dave nodded and pulled him inside, where it was _warm_. And it smelled _so good_. Dave sat him down at a table and then Dave sat across, still looking worried. “Sorry. Weren’t supposed to find me. I’ll leave soon, promise.” His tongue felt thick. Dave looked even more worried now. Probably wanted Klaus to leave sooner than soon. He nodded to himself and started to get up only for Dave to make a wounded noise and push him back down.

“You’re fine, you don’t have to leave Klaus,” Dave said. “If you want to, I’ll let you. I can drive you to wherever you want. But I don’t want you to think I want you to go.”

“Huh?” Why wouldn’t Dave want him to? 

_Oh_.

He probably wanted to have sex with Klaus. Bring Klaus inside, have sex as thanks, maybe he’d be able to sleep in a warm bed for the rest of the night. Dave seemed nice enough to not kick Klaus out into the snow afterwards.

“You were going to sleep there tonight, right? Behind my dumpster?” Dave said with a tone Klaus wasn’t used to. Klaus wasn't sure what the tone meant.

“Your wall is warm,” Klaus repeated. “And you usually have some food you threw away. You make really good scones.”

“Coffee? Do you want some coffee?” Dave got up, “A scone? God, sorry. Klaus would you like some coffee or a scone or-- or-- anything?”

Coffee and food before sex? Or maybe he still expected Klaus to pay with money for that part first, “I don’t have any money.”

“No, you don’t have to pay,” Dave reassured, hands up. “But you’re cold right? Coffee to warm you up. And-- And you said you like my scones. I still have some? You can eat as many as you want.”

Klaus tilted his head. Dave probably wanted him warmer when they had sex, no one wanted to touch a cold body. Nor would they want to hear a stomach growl in hunger. Klaus nodded, Dave’s logic made sense. “Okay.”

“Stay right there, I’ll be right back,” Dave said, leaving Klaus alone.

Klaus looked around the bakery. It did have a fun 60’s vibe in it. The furniture looked vintage, the wallpaper retro. Music albums of bands from the era were hung on the walls. It was very cute. 

“I think he wants to help,” Ben stated. “Seems like a good Samaritan type.”

Klaus shrugged, “Figure he’s after sex.”

Ben snorted, “You think everyone is after sex.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow, “Have I been wrong before?”

Ben looked away as Dave came back, two cups of coffee and a plate of baked goods on a tray. He sat it down and then picked up his mug. Dave didn’t drink from it, just ran his thumb along the rim, as if he was nervous. Probably never did hookups like this. “Please, help yourself.”

Klaus smiled and wrapped his hands around his mug. It was so warm. Taking a sip, he felt the warmth from the coffee spread throughout his body, chasing the chill in his bones. He then took a scone and started nibbling at it. Dave seemed more relaxed now that Klaus had sipped his coffee and taken a few small bites of food.

Dave cleared his throat, “Do you-- do you sleep next to my wall often?”

Klaus shrugged, unsure on what Dave wanted for an answer. “Not always.”

“But my wall is warm.”

Klaus nodded in agreement, “It is. I assume it's where your ovens are. They’re warming the bricks. So when it’s cold and I haven’t found a place to crash, sometimes I come here. But if you don’t want me hanging around, I get it. No one wants a homeless junkie whore stinking up their business. I’ll find somewhere else.”

“What? No,” Dave reached out and touched Klaus’s wrist. “You don’t need to find somewhere else. Klaus, on nights you have nowhere else to go, just come in here. Warmer than my wall, right? And-- And scones!” He pushed the plate closer to Klaus.

Yes, a warm bed and a warm body next to him are both better than a brick wall, Dave did have a point. “Normally people wait until we’ve had sex at least before saying a blanket statement like that.”

“I-- _What?”_

“You brought me in here for sex, right? I’ll make it worth your while, I’m good at that.” It was the only thing he was good at, _good for_ , really. “I don’t mind, especially when you gave me coffee and scones,” Klaus gestured to his half eaten scone and coffee that was growing steadily colder.

“I brought you in because it’s snowing and you were going to sleep outside!” Dave replied quickly. 

Ben chuckled, “Told you! Good Samaritan type.”

Klaus shot a glare at his brother. He went to get up, “Then I should head out. You don’t need me hanging around.”

“Not going to steal something first?” Ben commented dryly. “You got no money and getting low on drugs.”

Klaus didn’t plan on stealing anything, but he could see it playing out. If he did stay the night he would probably steal some money or an item to pawn. He was an addict and if he stole from his family then there was no one he wouldn’t steal from. Not scared to steal from people who learned to murder by the time they were seven then there was no one to be scared of.

Dave reached out and grabbed Klaus’s wrist loosely. Usually when Klaus was grabbed it was tight, bruising, he had no choice but Dave gave him a choice. He could pull away and Dave would let him. Klaus paused though, to see what Dave would say next as so far he hadn’t followed any script Klaus knew. “You don’t have to leave. Even without us having sex. _It’s snowing_. My apartment is much warmer than my wall. It’s just upstairs, you can sleep on the sofa for the night. I won’t mind.”

Klaus glanced at Ben who raised his eyebrows expectantly. He knew Ben thought that Klaus would take Dave up on his offer and then steal from him. And honestly? Ben could be right. It was hard for Klaus to know what he’d do when the withdrawals started. He didn’t want to steal from Dave, but if in the morning he was feeling it, he would. He knew himself well enough for that. He’d steal from a good samaritan like Dave. Someone who just wanted to help and had faith in humanity. But then he met Klaus, who would teach him how humanity could be.

Worthless.

“Nah, you don’t want me in your apartment,” Klaus waved his free hand in a dismissive way. “I’m a stranger you know. I could murder you in your sleep, steal from you, move all of your furniture two inches to the left.”

Dave smirked at the last option, “Well, I don’t think you’re a killer. And you’re welcome to steal from me. If you need the money or item, take it. It can be replaced.” Dave paused for a second, “Except my grandma’s vase. Please don’t steal that. It survived nazis. But anything else is up for grabs if you need it. And I think I know your game, Klaus. You _say_ two inches to the left, but that was a red herring. You’ll move it all to the right.” Dave smiled.

He smiled at him, as he said it was okay to steal from him. 

Klaus swallowed, ignoring Ben’s look of judgement, “Okay.” If Klaus ended up stealing from Dave, he brought it on himself. Klaus tried to tell him how awful he was, and yet--

“Wonderful.”

Dave led Klaus upstairs and it was something that felt like all of Klaus’s furniture had been moved two inches off their usual spot. He knew the routine, following someone up some stairs, to their apartment. Usually to their bedroom. If Klaus was lucky he’d get to sneak in a shower, some food, leaving when he was forced to either because he got kicked out or he knew it was coming and it would be safer if he left first. He’d only followed people for drugs or sex. Usually both as one led to the other. 

He’d follow for sex so he could buy drugs, or they’d share after he serviced them. He’d follow for drugs and often while he was high, too high, higher than usual, feeling safe and warm, they’d help themselves. He knew the routine. Up the stairs then do what he must to survive.

But this?

Was just slightly off. Dave moved the furniture while he wasn’t looking. Dave wanted him to eat and sleep somewhere safe. Probably let him shower without having to sneak a quick wash, could take his time. No, Dave wanted Klaus, but not for his body. He wanted Klaus to be warm. It was not something Klaus knew how to handle.

He wished it was for sex. Maybe he could bring it up again later, after a shower, when he was cleaner. Get back on solid ground. He knew Dave found him attractive, he didn’t miss the looks. Good samaritan like Dave probably needed to make sure Klaus was safe before sex, so he didn’t feel like he was taking advantage. 

Clearly that was it. Klaus would just wait and take his cues from Dave. To know when it was okay to put on the movies and take off his clothes.

The apartment was cozy. _Warm._

Klaus took his sandals off by the door.

“You don’t even have shoes?” Dave’s voice was soft, barely heard. 

Klaus looked down at his feet and wiggled his toes, “Sandals are shoes.”

Ben snorted, “Not in the winter.”

Dave just nodded his head, looking numb. He then cleared his throat, “Okay. Um. If you want you can take a bath or--”

“A bath? Not a shower? _A bathtub?”_ Klaus doubled checked. This was too good to be true. 

Dave scratched the back of his head, “Shower-head is broken at the moment. So it’s only baths right now. I hope that’s okay? I know some people don’t like them--”

“I love them,” Klaus smiled.

Dave shared his smile, looking more sure of himself, “Good. Okay! So, you can take a bath and I can set the sofa up for sleeping and if you want, make some food? I haven’t eaten tonight so it’s no bother for me to make something for both of us.”

Klaus shrugged, “If you want. I’m already going to be using up all of your hot water and dirtying your sofa. Just depends on how much you want to waste on lil’ ol’ me.” He gave a charming smile.

Dave was frowning again, “It’s not a waste. _You’re not a waste._ ”

Klaus shared a look with Ben before rolling his eyes, “Don’t be saying things like that. No take-backsies!” He jokingly shook his finger back and forth. 

“I wouldn’t take backsies that,” Dave said too seriously, too soft, too kind.

Dave was warm. Klaus wasn’t used to it. Not from people, not from places. Just the weather in the summer and the wall. Those were the only warm things Klaus still had in his life. That and the feeling of drugs in his veins, keeping the ghosts at bay, the trauma. It confused Klaus, through him off his rhythm, someone being _kind_ to him.

Which he didn’t want to put a lot of thought into that.

He couldn’t spend time thinking about why he felt like this when anyone, when a stranger-- _when Dave_ was so nice and warm towards him.

“I’m going to go take a bath,” Klaus said in a rush, not looking at Dave. He couldn’t.

Dave nodded and silently led him to the bathroom, he had a towel in his hand and after a second, he pulled it to his chest, “I’ll put this in the dryer for a bit. When it’s nice and warm I’ll leave it just inside the door, okay?”

Klaus blinked, “You don’t have to--”

“Do you want me to wash your clothes? Once you’ve bathed I bet some freshly cleaned clothes would be nice,” Dave said. 

“I-- Dave--” Klaus stammered.

“I have to do laundry anyway,” Dave said with imploring eyes, looking like he wanted Klaus to agree. “It won’t be a problem.”

Klaus gave a small nod then, feeling like Dave had lied. Not about it not being a problem, but about needing to do laundry. As if Dave knew that Klaus was about to argue and he had already started to figure Klaus out. He started to get undressed.

Dave gave a surprised noise, “Uh! Just leave them by the door! I’ll grab them in a moment.” He then rushed out of the room. Klaus stared at the door bemused. _He knew_ Dave was attracted to him, why he was trying to ignore it, Klaus didn’t know. But seeing Dave blush was very adorable.

Ben sat on the toilet back, feet on the closed lid, “He’s too good for you.”

Klaus snorted, “No shit.” He took his clothes off and sat them by the door before knocking on it. He then decided to root through the cabinets looking for bubble bath and maybe some xanny or oxy. He did find some bubble bath but nothing more powerful than some ibuprofen and some burn cream.

Ben shook his head and said, “I’m going to spy on him. Make sure he is as good as he seems.” And then left Klaus along in the bathroom.

It had been so long since he’d been in a bath.

The last of the chill from his bones seeped out as he sat there in the bubbles, wishing for music but settling for humming to himself.

When he was done, the towel was by the door, but not his clothes. Which made sense. Klaus shrugged and wrapped the towel around his midsection before leaving the bathroom.

As soon as he opened the door, Klaus could smell food. He couldn’t place what it was, but it smelled comforting. The apartment was warmer (or he was just less chilled) and he carefully stepped towards the kitchen. 

Dave’s back was to him, facing the stove, mixing something in the pan. “Hey honey, I’m home,” Klaus sing-songed.

Dave turned, smile on his face that soon became a look of shock, “Towel. Oh. Right. Clothes. Washer. Right.”

“You broke him,” Ben commented.

Klaus could do without all of Ben’s comments. He hoped his quick glare shot at him conveyed that. Klaus then looked back to Dave, “Sure you don’t want some dessert before dinner? I’m already undressed.”

“It’s mac and cheese,” Dave said quietly.

“I mean, if that’s what you want to call me?” Klaus said, a bit confused. “Or what you want to call sex?”

“No, I-- I made mac and cheese,” Dave held out the pot and sure enough, Klaus saw something yellow in it.

Klaus sighed, “Okay then. So do I lose the towel or not? _Listen_ , I know you find me attractive, I know the look. So why don’t we get to know each other over dinner, and then _really_ get to know each other?”

Dave shook his head, “I don’t-- I mean, I do--” Dave cleared his throat, “You are attractive, _yes_. But I didn’t invite you up here for sex. I invited you so that you can _get warm_ , eat some food, take a bath. I don’t want you to feel like you have to-- I never intended to-- You’re a human being.”

Klaus was wrong-footed then, “Huh?”

“You’re a human being. And you deserve to be treated as such. Not as anything less. And this is something I would do for anyone, even if I wasn’t attracted to them, because I’m not expecting anything from you beyond, hopefully, accepting some help.” Dave looked so hopeful, like he really believed that Klaus was a real human being, not something pulled and forced into the shape of one.

As if he wasn’t _beyond_ help.

“Wow. Well this is unexpected,” Ben said. “I never really thought I’d see the day someone would turn you down for sex. I’ve seen people who _weren’t_ attracted to you take you up on the offer.”

Klaus nodded absently to Ben. But apparently Dave took it as he was nodding to him because Dave let out a breath and a small smile. “Okay. Good. So you don’t need to keep offering yourself to me, okay? Okay. Your clothes will be in the wash for a bit longer, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I will get you some stuff to borrow? I may have something slim enough for you. And then we can eat.”

“Okay,” Klaus said quietly. Apparently his tone was off because Dave patted him on the shoulder as he passed and Ben was staring at him, almost unblinking. 

Dave came back and handed Klaus a pair of sweatpants with a tie string, a plain tee shirt, and some boxers. “Sorry they aren’t warm. If I had been thinking I could’ve put them in the dryer with the towel.”

Klaus carefully took the clothes in his arms, “No this is-- this is more than enough.” More than anyone has ever done. He then scurried back to the bathroom to change. The clothes were too big on his thin frame, but he could tie the pants tight enough that they didn’t fall down, so that was a win.

When he came back out, Dave had plates of mac and cheese on the table along with some dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets.

Too bad Dave was so on not having sex, because Klaus would have been naked in seconds at such a perfect meal. 

His hands shook slightly as he ate.

“Are you still cold?” Dave asked, looking worried. “I can turn the heat up.” He started to get up but stopped when Klaus spoke.

“No, I’m not still cold,” Klaus said. He almost felt ashamed to tell the truth, after Dave proclaimed that he was a human being. After Dave had such faith in him to not be worthless. “Years of drug and alcohol abuse, y’know?” He forced out a light hearted laugh. Dave’s eyes were sad. “Withdrawals haven’t started yet, this is just a baseline of shakes.” He gave a _what-can-you-do_ shrug. 

Klaus didn’t think about lying to Dave about the drugs. Either Dave would finally realize what Klaus was like and would finally kick him out or-- Or what? Dave accepted him as he was? When no one else did? Because Klaus was _‘a human being’._

Dave frowned. Klaus held his breath, expecting the response he always got. Instead Dave said, “Do you have enough drugs to stave them off all night? I don’t really have anything here for you. Other than some alcohol. Would that help if withdrawals start?”

Forget furniture being moved two inches off the norm, this was a full foot. It was out the window and there was no furniture left. “Huh?”

“Well I don’t want you to be sick. From what I understand withdrawals aren’t fun. I could run out and try and get something? If you need it? I don’t know where to buy most drugs other than the drug store so I could get you stuff from there! Like some cold medicine?” Dave questioned. He almost looked happy about the idea of going out to buy drugs for Klaus.

“What is happening?” Ben said. “This guy isn’t real.”

“Um,” Klaus said slowly, “I don’t have more on me, no. But you don’t need to go out and _buy me anything_. Jesus. If it gets bad I’ll either leave or--”

“Alcohol?” Dave sounded hopeful.

“Yeah. Alcohol,” Klaus agreed. 

Klaus’s clothes were dry shorter after they were done eating.

“Go ahead and sleep in mine tonight,” Dave said. “They look like they’re more comfy. In the morning you can either take those with you or leave them. I won’t mind if you want something a little warmer to wear.”

Klaus couldn’t take it anymore, “How are you this nice?” Dave looked taken aback. “I am a homeless addict slut and you’re a baker! And a nice one at that! You deliver baked goods to the shelters and you washed my clothes and you don’t even put rat poison on the food you throw in your dumpster and then you won’t have sex--”

“Rat poison?” Dave’s voice was quiet again. Forceful in his question, but quiet.

Klaus closed his mouth with a click before sharing a look with Ben and nodding. “Uh, Krazy Kupcakes? They put rat poison on whatever they throw out. Officially it’s, y’know, to stop rats? But everyone knows it's because they don’t want us hanging around and causing a scene.”

“What the actual fuck?” Dave looked horrified. “Klaus! People could get sick from that! _People could die!”_

Klaus thought back to the few times he was sober enough to see ghosts around there, and how they warned him; about how those who had been homeless for years had warned him; about how both of those groups were too late to warn him and how he had ate some and almost died from the poison and how Ben had figured it out because Klaus ate from their dumpster enough that there was a pattern and how he ended up listening in on the bakers, _“Yeah.”_

Dave got up and picked up his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling the cops on them!” Dave said, going to hold the phone up to his ear.

Klaus shook his head and quickly made his way over, taking the phone and hanging up. Dave just _let him_. Not fighting back, not pushing Klaus away. “Don’t waste your time, Dave. Everyone knows and nobody cares.”

 _“I care!”_ Dave shouted. “I care, Klaus! No one should be poisoning people deliberately! That’s-- That’s-- That’s _horrible_.”

Klaus shrugged, “Yeah, it is. But trust me when I say that the cops don’t care. They won’t do anything. And even if they did, the bakery can claim they were just trying to keep the rodents away.”

“You aren’t rodents though,” Dave said softly.

Klaus would argue otherwise. He saw some certain similarities to himself and the rodents he shared the alleys with. But raccoons? He was clearly born of them. He used to wear a similar mask as them, but now he is just a little guy with quick hands, ready to grab anything he could. “Close enough to rats, may as well treat us like them.”

Dave reached out and cupped Klaus’s cheek in his hand, “You are not a rat. You’re not a rodent. Have you-- Did you ever _eat_ from their dumpster?”

“Yeah. Took a while before we realized why I kept getting sick,” Klaus shared a look with Ben. At one point Ben is certain Klaus had died, but Klaus was still around, so he hadn’t _actually_ died. “But your dumpster is nice! Good food, warm wall. Much better.”

Dave looked like he was about to cry, “I’m glad you like my dumpster better. But please, Klaus, promise me that next time you come to my alley, you actually come to my front door?” Dave thumb caressed Klaus’s cheek.

And why again? Did Dave not _want_ to have sex with him?

“Okay,” Klaus didn’t actually promise, just agreed.. 

“Jesus Christ,” Ben said with a shake of his head. “How does this guy care so much about you? He just met you earlier tonight!”

Klaus shot a glare at Ben.

He then melted into Dave’s soft hand, cradling his face. He’d not been touched with such care in so long. He’d always been met with a harsh hand, a punch, a slap, choking. Of course he never minded, sometimes liked it, but this? This was new and somehow warm. The caring that Dave put in his grip warmed Klaus beyond his body. It warmed his soul.

He snorted at the idea.

As if Dave could warm his soul.

As if he still _had_ a soul.

Klaus got Dave calmed down from finding out about the rat poison and then Dave started yawning. Klaus gave a small smile at watching Dave try and stay awake. Klaus knew Dave was usually up early, in his bakery, getting ready in the morning. He didn't want Dave to stay up for him. He’d done so much already. So he sent him to bed.

Before Dave left him alone though, he set out a few drinks on the table and told Klaus to help himself if he needed and then he pointed out an ugly as fuck vase, “This survived nazis. I assume because they thought it was cursed.” He shrugged with a smile playing at his lips. 

Klaus nodded, feeling oddly warm at how caring Dave was, at how they possibly had inside jokes after one day.

Not that Dave would have anything to do with him in the future, probably.

He was just guilty from the start and then felt like he couldn’t kick Klaus out.

Dave went to bed and Klaus laid down and tried to ignore Ben’s commentary.

Before Dave got up, Klaus took a few drinks from the alcohol left for him, he grabbed some cash he found hidden away and went to put on his clothes. When he went to get his sandals he found a pair of warm looking boots and note saying that Dave hoped Klaus stole the boots.

Klaus stole the boots.

He also turned the note around and left one of his own, warning of the cash stolen.

So Klaus had stolen cash and stolen boots and possibly Dave had stolen his heart.


	2. Don’t Be a Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> be gay, do crimes

Dave started checking behind his dumpster daily. _At least_ once a day, always before bed. It wasn’t that he _hoped_ to find Klaus back there, next to the warm brick wall, but he wasn’t sure if Klaus would actually take him up on the offer to stay in his apartment instead of the alley.

And it was very cold out.

He hoped the boots fit Klaus. He’d held them up to the sandals when he left them, they looked like they were the same size, so Dave hoped Klaus took them and was wearing them and didn’t pawn them for more money. Though they were Klaus’s boots now so that would be his choice but there was so much snow now and the boots would help keep Klaus warm.

Dave had also started donating more baked goods to the shelters, showing up everyday instead of when he had a lot left over. Partially because he didn’t want any of those people to go hungry, to go looking for food behind Krazy Kupcakes; but he also was hoping he’d see Klaus there. 

He wanted to make sure the guy was safe.

The morning after Klaus left, Dave did end up calling the cops on Krazy Kupcakes but much to Dave’s displeasure, Klaus was right. Putting rat poison on your baked goods you were throwing away to keep the rat population down (especially when you owned a bakery and want to make sure none got into your building) wasn’t against the law. It was unfair and rude and Dave was trying to think up ways to sabotage the other bakery.

So far he’d thought he’d find out their flour supplier and try and get their next shipment canceled. He wished he knew how to do that though.

He’d also stocked up on some alcohol. If Klaus never came back, Dave would eventually drink it, but he didn’t want Klaus to be in pain whenever he was over and he’d said alcohol could help. 

Dave just wanted to help him.

Of course Dave didn’t want anyone to suffer and wanted everyone to be happy, no matter their choices in life; but Klaus, there was something about him. Yes, Dave had found him very attractive and he could have, _very easily_ , had sex with Klaus that night. Klaus had kept offering, as if he expected it. 

It hurt how he had assumed that was the reason Dave had brought him inside. As if he thought that was all he was good for. How many people had taken advantage of him, taught him that if someone showed kindness that he had to let them do as they pleased to his body? 

Fifteen days after Dave first met Klaus, not that he was counting, there was a quiet tap at his closed front door when he was down in the bakery cleaning up. He looked up and saw Klaus waving at him. He had HELLO tattooed on his palm. Dave hadn’t noticed that before. He smiled in return and went to let Klaus in.

Klaus was wearing the boots Dave gave him.

He also was sporting some bruises, including a black eye that looked painful. He was wearing more clothes than last time, but Dave was having trouble keeping his gaze from Klaus’s face, where he saw the bruises. Was there more under his clothes? Was the black eye the worst of it? Klaus’s right eye was almost swollen shut. But Klaus had a smile on, “Dave.” His voice was quiet.

“Klaus,” Dave greeted, locking the door back up after Klaus. 

“If you were just being nice before, that’s fine, I’ll skedaddle and leave you be. I’m sure your wall is still toasty warm,” Klaus’ voice was light and friendly, as if what he was saying wasn’t making a knot grow in Dave’s chest. “Lots of people _say_ these things but don’t mean it. _Yes you can stay for as long as you need, help yourself to anything you desire, Klaus I swear to God this is the last time I fucking help you--”_ He let out a sharp laugh before stopping suddenly and grabbing his ribs with a look to his side. “Hm. Yes, we’ll see on the last one, won’t we?”

“Who--” Dave readed out, as if to touch Klaus’s injuries but stopping himself. “Let’s go upstairs? I’ll get you some ice.”

Klaus gave a nod and followed him to his apartment. He was humming a song to himself, seemingly in a good mood even though he’d recently taken a beating. Dave was hoping his unease wasn’t making Klaus think he wasn’t welcome. The unease was because of the injuries, not that Klaus was there.

Once they were in the apartment, Dave sat Klaus down on the sofa and got ice for him. “Anything else? Water? Alcohol? I have more now. Food? I can get you something from the bakery or-- or make something.”

Klaus put the ice to his eye and gave Dave a puzzled look with his other. “I ate a little bit before coming over.”

Dave nodded, “From-- From a dumpster?”

Klaus smiled, “ _Nah_. Mooched off my brother. I ate cooked eggs while he ate them raw, like the heathen he is.”

Dave nodded again, the knot not leaving Dave’s chest. The bruises looked fresh. Within 24 hours. He swallowed dryly, “Did he-- Is he the one who beat you up?”

Klaus raised his eyebrows and shot a look to an empty chair before back to Dave, “Diego? Nah, he didn’t beat me up this time. This,” he gestured to himself, “is courtesy of my boyfriend.” A head tilt towards the chair, “Yes, _thank you_. Ex-boyfriend. After Ethan was done I scampered off to Diego. While Diego wasn’t too happy with me, he didn’t do anything more than throw me out.”

“He did what?” Dave asked, alarmed. What kind of brother would throw their sibling out when they were in such bad shape? He frowned, upset at hearing how uncaring Klaus’s family must be. Hell, if Klaus was his family he’d never have to worry about being thrown out. Or a place to stay, if he wanted. Or food. Or--

“Well, that's because he caught me snorting a few lines of coke off his table. So I pocketed his wallet and left as he told me _Klaus I swear to God this is the last time I fucking help you--_ ” He shared a small smile with the empty chair. “It is not the first time we’ve heard him say that. Give him a few weeks to calm down and I can badger him again. Mind, next time he may shove me in rehab if I don’t let it cool off for long enough.” He then stared at the chair intensely, “Well maybe it’s the drugs, maybe it's the concussion? _Yes, I have a concussion_. God, I recognize the signs, Ben.”

Dave cleared his throat, Klaus’s one eye locked into him, “Should you see a doctor? Because of the concussion? Or report Ethan for domestic abuse?”

“Ah, Dave,” Klaus gave a light and quiet laugh. “The cops would be more upset with me than they would be with Ethan. Haven’t you heard? _There is a war against drugs._ No one cares if a junkie gets the shit beat out of them.” He patted Dave’s leg, “It’s okay, this is nothing new.”

Dave was worried Klaus was taking this all too lightly. Not when he knew the signs of a concussion, how he _knew_ the cops wouldn’t help him, the way he spoke, “This isn’t the first boyfriend to hit you, is it?”

Klaus lowered the ice to his eye and gave a small applause, “He’s a smart one.” His shoulders slumped and his smile fell some, “It’s old hat by now, Dave. You needn’t worry. I know how to take a hit. Daddy trained us how to take a hit in more ways than one.” Dave knew he must look heart broken because Klaus shared a worried look with the chair, “It’s fine, Dave. Promise. Christ, if I knew you were gonna be so sad about me I’d’ve stayed at Diego’s and faced his wrath.” He started to get up.

Dave reached out, “Please, don’t go. I’ll--”

Klaus laughed, “I was gonna go take a piss.”

Dave lowered his hand, _“Oh.”_

“Yeah, _oh._ ” Klaus touched Dave’s cheek, “Too sweet for me.” He then got up and gave a quick middle finger to the chair before heading to the bathroom.

Dave worried this thumb nail when Klaus was gone. Feeling the ice pack, he decided it was best to go back in the freezer for a bit. As he was up and in the kitchen he started putting together a snack tray. At least that could sit on the coffee table and Klaus or him could pick at it as they wanted. He wondered if he could talk Klaus into letting him wash his clothes again or take another shower.

Although, he had come from his brother’s. So maybe he’d done that before getting caught with drugs. Dave frowned deeply, feeling his brows creased with worry. He didn’t like hearing that Klaus’s brother would force him into rehab or kick him out because of some coke. Of course, he’d probably been dealing with Klaus and his addictions for years now, as Klaus did not seem like someone who _just recently_ fell into drugs, but that didn’t mean he should force sobriety on Klaus. 

Klaus was worth more than his addictions.

The small amount that he knew Klaus, he was kind and funny and had a sharp edge to him that was learned from somewhere. He could be rude and brash but whenever Dave showed any kindness to him he was confused. As if kindness wasn’t something he knew how to deal with. As if he didn’t know what to do with someone caring about him and hoping that he was okay. Last time he’d had to lie just to wash the man’s clothes. 

And Klaus had clearly been okay with the caring, that was, until Dave bad it clear that Klaus hadn’t been brought upstairs for sex.

He’d truly been expecting needing to be used that way for the small amounts of kindness shown. 

Klaus was also worth more than his body.

No human being should be reduced to their addictions, to their body. 

Dave glanced at the empty chair.

He’d noticed last time that Klaus kept looking off to the side, but this time he seemed to actually be talking to whatever he saw. He’d said ‘we’ a few times, mentioned a Ben. Argued with Ben a bit about the concussion. Dave wasn’t sure if he was a hallucination from whatever drugs Klaus was on, or if Klaus had a mental illness. It wouldn’t be unheard of, for people with mental illnesses to get addicted. Not that Klaus needed a deep reason to get addicted.

Dave knew many people who got addicted from pain medicine their doctor’s prescribed. From their sleeping pills, from perfectly legal reasons to start out but then--

No human being should be reduced to their mental illness either.

Klaus came out of the bathroom.

“Good news guys,” Klaus said, giving jazzhands. He had GOOD BYE on his other hand. “I didn’t piss blood.”

“Was that something we had to worry about?” Dave asked, a glance at the empty chair and then eyes locked on Klaus.

Klaus shrugged, “I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time. Just one less thing to worry about. Now it's just my money maker.” He made a face, one Dave couldn’t quite place due to the swollen eye, “Okay, my _money maker_ is fine but the store front is all bruised.” He gestured to his eye.

“You can stay here as long as you need,” Dave said. He did not like the implication Klaus spelled out. However the implication was less blunt than their first meeting when Klaus called himself a whore. Again, there was nothing wrong with sex workers, they were people too; but when someone was forced into that line of work, either by others or by necessity? Dave wasn’t as much of a fan then. If they chose to do the sex work because they wanted to? Dave fully supported their choice.

“That's what Diego said when he saw my pathetic face. Four hours later,” he paused and chuckled to himself. “How fitting, eh? _Four_ hours.” He shot a glare at the chair, “Anyway. Four hours later it was _Klaus I swear to God this is the last time I fucking help you--_ Always charming, our brother Diego.”

“Well I’m not going to throw you out if you use, Klaus,” Dave said softly. “And I’m not going to tell you not to do drugs. Or drink. I want you to feel safe while you’re here.”

Klaus eyed him warily, “Yeah, starting to sound like Ian.” He got up then, “Guess I’ll be going before-- _Good Samaritans aren’t real.”_

Dave started to panic. He didn’t want Klaus to leave, not when he had nowhere safe to go. It was so cold out and Klaus was concussed. But Dave had, somehow, just made Klaus think of something bad from his past. _Someone_ from his past. He no longer felt safe.

Because why?

Someone had mistreated Klaus’s trust. This Ian used Klaus’s trust and used it against him. Took away all of Klaus’s power? His ability to do as he wanted. 

On one hand (HELLO), Dave was very glad that Klaus knew the signs, so he didn’t let himself be put back in any position similar again. On the other (GOOD BYE), it meant Klaus wasn’t trusting Dave and was worried that Dave would hurt him somehow.

But as Klaus was nearing the door, Dave knew he had to do something to give Klaus some power back in their relationship. So he said the first thing that came to his mind.

“I’m thinking of doing crime.”

Klaus turned back around, looking as confused as his bruised face allowed. _“Hush you,”_ he said pointedly to his left. He then turned to face Dave directly, “You’re thinking of _what_ now?”

Dave took a breath, knowing it was his chance to set things right. “Okay so, I called the cops after you left about the rat poison? You were right, the cops didn’t care. But I care! So I want to sabotage them but I-- I don’t know how? So I thought maybe I’d cancel their flour order, y’know? To set them back a bit? But-- But I don’t know how to do that.”

“Well you break in and read their paperwork and find out their supplier and store number,” Klaus stated, looking relaxed again.

Dave snapped his fingers, “Yeah! I figured that out too. But I’ve never broken in _anywhere_.”

“I’ve broken into many places, a stupid bakery shouldn’t be a problem,” Klaus said slowly. As if he was still suspicious. Which he had every reason to be. For all he knew, Dave was now trying to set him up to take the fall of a crime. There was a pause before a quiet, “Does it really bother you that much that they put rat poison on their dumpster bakes?”

“Yes!” Dave said loudly, knowing that the idea got him worked up. “They kill people Klaus! You said they almost killed you! And the cops don’t care? _At all?_ They’re out there harming people and _no one cares?_ Well tough shit! I care! And even if I never met you I’d care! They’re hurting people!”

“You’re very passionate about this,” Klaus commented dryly. 

“I hate that no one cares,” Dave stated, voice almost devoid of any of the emotion he just had. He took a calming breath and continued in a soft voice, letting some of how he felt push through along with his words, “I hate that because they’re hurting the homeless, drug addicts, _people who need help_ but society as a whole decided it wasn't worth their time that they are getting away with it.” He took a breath, “Anyway. If you still want to leave, you can. But if you want to help me commit a crime, that’s okay too. Hey! I know! If you come you can take pictures of me!”

“Kinky,” Klaus winked. Maybe winked? It looked more deliberate than blinking.

“Yeah-- Yeah! So you can blackmail me if you need to. A safety net. I don’t know what Ian,” Dave didn’t fail to notice the small flinch Klaus gave at Ian’s name, “did but you could have some evidence of me doing a crime. One the police would do something about, that is. But that way, even though I don’t know what-- what he did, you can be sure that I-- that I don’t-- do it too.”

“You want me to blackmail you?” Klaus asked slowly. “Hold on, wait a tick, wait a tick. You want to sabotage Krazy Kupcakes because some people are getting sick if they eat from their dumpster and the cops won’t do anything. And you’re worried I feel unsafe near you so your way to fix that is for me to blackmail you while you do this crime?”

Dave took a second to think his plan through, “Yeah. That sums it up.”

_“Well hell Dave!”_ Klaus grinned. “I love me some crime.”

Dave got his camera and handed it over to Klaus. 

Their fingers brushed as they did this and Dave smiled, glad that Klaus’s fingers felt warm.

“Did you know that the word sabotage is from wooden shoes?” Klaus said, pocketing the camera somewhere. He started towards the door, pulling Dave along with him, and paused long enough for them to put their shoes back on. “Our shoes aren’t wooden. We aren’t dressed right for this crime, Dave.” Klaus sounded mournful over the fact as he scuffed his boot on the floor.

“Tell me more about the wooden shoes,” Dave asked as they went out into the cold.

Klaus linked their arms together, “So the story is that the french workers who were upset with textile machinery they were being forced to use, like looms or some shit? And so they broke it by throwing their wooden shoes-- their _sabots_ into the machinery, making it not work! I mean, that’s my favorite version of it. The more boring one was that the people on strike wore _sabots_ and they were holding up the process of capitalism by being a strike. So being a saboteur in wooden shoes.”

“But the first one involves crime,” Dave said.

“Exactly! Much more fun!” Klaus agreed. 

They were soon at the backdoor of Krazy Kupcakes. Dave was starting to feel nervous. He’d never done much more than jaywalking before. But he knew he wanted to do this, that he wanted some justice for those who got hurt by Krazy Kupcakes. Even if it wasn’t much in the way of justice, it was _something._

Dave tried to open the door but it was locked. He turned around and saw Klaus with his eyebrows raised, as if expecting something from Dave. “I was going to prepare more and learn how to pick locks,” he said, almost ashamed he didn’t know how. “I didn’t think this through, Klaus.”

Klaus rolled his eyes, “Budge over then.” There was something in his hands. He started fiddling with the lock, “Thank god you decided I needed to blackmail you. Diego was never good at lockpicking and usually went for the broken window. Myself? I was great at these locks. Our sister was _amazing_ with the safe ones. Y’know? The combination locks. Daddy was never pleased that I couldn’t learn how to pick those locks too, but it was always too loud. Couldn’t hear the clicks through all the noise.”

Dave wasn’t sure what to do with all the information Klaus spilled haphazardly. Did he come from a crime family? Why did his dad teach him to lockpick? It would help paint a picture of the path set before Klaus and how he got from a child of a mob boss to a homeless addict. 

The door opened.

Klaus looked unhappy, “That took much longer than usual.”

“You’re concussed and have one good eye,” Dave reminded him.

“You make a very fair point, Davey,” Klaus said jovially as he walked in as if he didn’t have to worry about any other type of security. 

“Klaus! They might have cameras!” Dave tugged at Klaus to make him stop.

“Nah, they have cameras but I guess they aren’t working. A surprising amount of places rely on the visual of cameras, but not working cameras. Much cheaper to just put some in and not have it _do anything_. Besides, it’s one camera in the main room out front and one back here.” 

Dave wasn’t sure how Klaus could know all of that, but he figured he’d trust Klaus. He had no reason not to. After all, the point of this was so that Klaus could blackmail him. And the way Klaus spoke it sounded like he was a pro at breaking and entering. 

They made their way to the office, Klaus seemingly knowing the way.

It was a normal looking office. A bit like his, that he had in his apartment. A computer, file cabinets with paperwork, a shitty desk chair that had a spot held together with duct tape.

“Go through the papers dear, pose for the camera,” Klaus held up Dave’s camera to his good eye. “Gotta get your face or any lawyer worth their salt will get you off.” He turned to the side, “So I’ve had a few lawyers not worth their salt _or_ their pepper. Shut it, Ben.”

Dave chuckled and started going through the filing cabinets. He made sure to look at the camera some-- well, passed the camera. He was looking at Klaus who was grinning happily, telling Dave to get into position so Klaus could draw him like his french girls. Then he directed Dave to sit in front of the computer and took a few more while Dave tried and failed to get past the password. 

Klaus eventually put the camera down and took pity on him, “Go back to the papers, Dave. I wasn’t the best at hacking but we all had to know how to stop a bomb.” 

Dave stopped and stared at Klaus for half a second but Klaus didn’t seem like he was going to expand on that bit of new information. As Dave searched the paperwork to find out their suppliers and store numbers, he half listened as Klaus argued with the Ben he saw as well as the computer.

Dave wondered if the crime upbringing was true. Was it a way to cope with some of the trauma he had? Or did he get kicked out of the crime family for his addictions and possible mental illness? It would be a lie if Dave said he wasn’t curious about Klaus’s past. But he wasn’t going to pry. If Klaus wanted to open up, he could. Until then Dave couldn’t help his theories on what had happened. 

He hoped it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.

“Got it,” Klaus said loudly. “You wanted the flour shipment, right?” He grabbed a blank piece of computer paper and started writing down information. “We can start with that. I’ll write down more stuff in case you want to throw some more wooden shoes.” He looked over at Dave then, “But honestly, I’m down for it if it’s just the flour. This has been way more fun than hanging out with Diego would’ve been. Also! While we’re here I’m going to rob their till.”

Klaus paused, as if expecting someone to yell at him and tell him not to steal their money. But Dave just nodded, “That’s fair.” They’d made Klaus sick enough that he’d almost died, they’d have others who got sick, some who died. They could stand to lose some money. “Please, help yourself to their till.”

Klaus grinned and then went back to writing information down before handing it over to Dave, taking one more pick of Dave holding the papers and then he went out front towards the shop.

Klaus didn’t bother locking the door when they were done.

“Should we worry about fingerprints?” Dave asked when they were in the alley behind Krazy Kupcakes. Seemed a bit late to worry now. He frowned.

“You should be golden. I doubt they have you on file, you good Samaritan, you,” Klalus nudged Dave’s shoulder with his. “And my prints are _fucked up_ from some light frostbite.” He held his hands up and peered at his fingertips, “I should be fine until they fingerprint me again.”

A few minutes into their walk back, Dave said, “Thank you.”

“Thank me? _Whatever for?”_ Klaus seemed bemused.

“For helping me do crime. I wasn’t going to do it tonight, do a little more research into _how_ to be gay and do crimes but I think-- I think that even with research I wouldn’t have gotten passed the door.”

“Well it's the least I could do for my knight in shining armor. Doing his first B n’ E for lil’ ol’ me,” Klaus’s smile was softer. Softer than any Dave had seen yet. “It’s not often I have someone wanting to commit a crime for me. _Ugh_ , I _mean_ , I do have people committing crime for me, _but I don’t think paying for sex counts_.” He shot a glare at where Dave assumed Ben was.

Once they were back in the apartment Dave took the camera and hooked it up to the computer, printing off the pictures before handing the stack over to Klaus along with the camera, “Keep them both.”

Klaus stared at the pictures and the camera in his hands, _“Dave--”_

“You keep yourself safe. However you have to. It doesn’t matter if one day you do blackmail me. You deserve to feel and be safe. If this helps, that's great. Even if you pawn the camera, or turn me in for some reward money, I get it. And I promise, I wouldn’t turn you in as well. You collect your reward money. It was my idea to sabotage Krazy Kupcakes. I’ll take the fall no problem.”

Klaus laughed hollowly, “How are you real?”

Dave shrugged, “Same as you, I imagine.”

“You and I have _very_ different origin stories,” Klaus said, once again pocketing the camera somewhere. “Okay, Dave. Thank you for the blackmail.” He sat down on the sofa and reached for the snacks Dave had put out earlier in the night and forgot about. “Shall we have some coffee to warm us up? Unless? Bedroom?” He waggled his eyebrows.

Dave sighed and gave a fond smile, “Coffee it is.”

Six days later, not that Dave was counting, Klaus was gone. His face had healed and he’d left during the night. However there was another note, like the one before that said he stole some more money, a loaf of bread, and hid -- but not stole! -- his grandma’s vase. He hoped Dave found it by the next time Klaus came to visit it was his turn to try and find the cursed thing.


	3. Sittin' on a Fence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> season two, huh? thoughts on it?
> 
> no spoilers for the season in this chapter, but there is one small reference to it.

It was warm enough that it was raining, not snowing. But the snow on the ground was still there, slowly being melted by the rain. But the air was chilly and damp and it cut through to the bone. Klaus kept expecting the rain to turn into snow or ice. He was still wearing Dave’s boots.

Klaus kept his gaze away from Ben. He didn’t particularly want to deal with any of his siblings, living nor dead. He fiddled with the sobriety chip in his hand and wondered if his usual dealers were up and about. He tried to remember which ones took 30 day chips as payments.

Although he could pawn the chip.

And the book.

Middle of his rehab stay the library who let them borrow books dropped off stacks of new ones. He’d investigated mostly because rehab was _boring_ and _loud_ and Ben was _nagging_. Seeing the book made Ben shut up.

At first, at least.

Then they’d read it. Poor Ben, faster at reading than Klaus and having to wait for Klaus to finish the page before he could continue. But they read it. _Their sister’s book._

And then Klaus took it with him when he left rehab. It was about him, he could easily lay claim to it. Besides, he didn’t want the others in there to read it and _know_ these things about him, without him telling them. It was annoying when people would know things about him when he hadn’t said a word. Some of it turned out to be lies, either lies he spouted when he was a kid and doing interviews or lies his siblings told someone else. 

But these strangers knew things about him he didn’t want them to know. They’d judge him more than they already did. Possibly the book would help him, make people recognize him and want to share drugs with that Umbrella Kid, something that had happened before. But he didn’t forget how much being famous could hurt. He was that Umbrella Kid and wouldn’t it be a ride if they took a bite out of him. 

The worst was famous but past his prime. 

The thrill of doing what you wanted to someone who fell as low, if not lower than you--

And now there was a book, reminding people what he was like. He’d stopped giving interviews for drug money a while back, having learned his lesson. It was better to not be recognized on the street. But now people would talk about him again, possibly even people who had been looking for him and forgot he owed them. They’d be reminded and start the hunt again.

He wasn’t safe.

“You could go to Dave’s,” Ben said loudly, so that Klaus could hear him over the other dead. 

But Klaus didn’t want to listen to Ben. Not now. Not after they’d read--

He didn’t want anything to do with _any_ of his siblings.

So he ventured to a pawn shop to lighten his load. He knew of one that was more happy to take sobriety chips. He ended up giving up his chip, the book, and his coat. 

Then he ignored Ben some more and went and bought some drugs. 

“You were sober! And you could’ve proved Vanya wrong! That you were more than that,” Ben growled out. 

Klaus put away his packets of pills and powders, having just swallowed some. He rolled his eyes at Ben and replied in a sing-song voice, _“We both know I’m not.”_

“Dave thinks you are,” Ben said. “And if you were sober--”

Klaus stalked off, planning to ignore Ben again. He shouldn’t have replied. It only encouraged him. And Ben lately had added Dave to his arsenal against Klaus. _Dave would-- Dave thought-- Dave could-- Dave-- Dave-- Dave--_

Klaus missed Dave.

He’d stayed with him off and on since that first night he was found by the dumpster. The longest he’d stayed was just over a week before Klaus got all feeling guilty for taking and stealing and Dave telling him he’s good and laughing at his jokes and making Klaus’s insides feel gooey like the middle of the warm lava cakes Dave had made last time. 

And then Ben had to bring up Dave and make Klaus feel stupid and dumb for not going to Dave’s so Klaus pulled out a packet of one of his fun powders this time and took a line.

It was time to get fucked up.

So he did.

The next thing, the next thought, that Klaus had was that he was a bit warm. Then he registered a hand shaking him, a voice he knew was nice calling to him. It kept cutting out, he kept missing words, 

“Klaus-- 

your coat--

tell Diego rehab--

get inside. Warmer there--

Better now, yeah? Here eat--

and so I tell him to--

Can you believe it? Of course not--”

Klaus blinked heavily, realizing he was breathing deeply. He was warm. There was a blanket wrapped around him and he smelt cookies. Looking down he realized he had one in his hand. _Dave._

He was at Dave’s. 

And Dave was just talking about his day to Klaus. He did this whenever Klaus got too fucked up. Dave would just make sure Klaus ate and drank and then talked to him. Kept his mind busy as he was strung out on the drug of the day. 

“Oh, _hey there,_ ” Dave smiled, apparently noticing Klaus tracking him. “Out of rehab, eh?”

Klaus nodded, his tongue felt heavy in his mouth, “Yeah.”

Dave’s smile grew bigger, “Thanks for calling me from there and letting me know where you were.”

Klaus nodded some more, swallowing he tried to get his tongue to work with him, “Be glad The Rolling Scones is-- is in the phone book.”

Dave laughed, “I have to be? It’s a business.” He looked charmed by Klaus.

Klaus smiled deeply at hearing Dave’s laugh, “Couldn’t let you worry. What would you do if I--” He swallowed and Dave pressed a glass of something in his hand. After drinking half the glass, he tried again, “What you do if I wasn’t around to steal from you. Plus your grandma’s cursed vase would miss me.”

“It would,” Dave reached out and rewrapped Klaus in the blanket. Klaus got the distinct feeling that it wasn’t just the vase that would have missed him.

Klaus was happy to see Dave, of course he was, but he also didn’t want to be aware of anything. He didn’t want to think about how much he’d let his family down, how much he had hurt people over the years with his addictions as well as just his personality. With who he was. Vanya had made it clear that he’d grown into someone mean and twisted. It would be better if he was just always blackout, so he didn’t know what he did, so he couldn’t feel guilty for it. 

He was debating if he should stay with Dave, who never seemed to mind it when Klaus got himself so fucked up that he wasn’t there anymore, or if he shouldn’t put that burden on Dave and he should find a crackhouse so he could go there and never bother anyone again when a hand cupped his face.

Dave wiped some tears away, “Hey, you’re safe and okay.”

He wasn’t a safe person though. He wasn’t an okay person.

He did almost wish for the anger he had earlier, better than feeling like _he_ was the failure and disappointment. No, it was on everyone else for not helping him _be_ better. Right? Vanya spoke of how she watched him spiral and _didn’t do anything_ how none of them did. They just let him wreck himself, they let ignored him like they’d ignored Vanya.

Only he’d made it hard to ignore him. Always in their face, stealing, lying, cheating. 

Dave stopped holding Klaus’s face and Klaus felt like that had been it. Now Dave didn’t like him either. He’d probably already read the book and he knew-- like so many strangers did-- at how awful he was. But then arms wrapped around him, holding him close. “You’re safe and okay. It’s just-- you’re having a rough come down, yeah? You’re-- You’re here with me and you’re safe and okay.”

Klaus at first didn’t hug back, he didn’t-- why was Dave hugging him? He shouldn’t want to touch him after he knew the truth. Not gently anyway, hurt him, sure. Klaus expected that. Dave had yet to hurt him but it was only a matter of time, surely. What with the book and Klaus knew Dave had questions about him and wanted to know his past. He would read the book if he hadn’t yet and got the chance.

But Klaus was selfish.

Slowly he found himself hugging back, fingers curling into Dave’s shirt, the fabric wrapped around him like smaller hugs. Tucking his head in between the space above Dave’s shoulder, right next to his neck, Klaus hoped he wasn’t going to leave too many tears on Dave. Dave’s grip meanwhile, after Klaus started hugging back, tightened. As if he had been waiting to make sure it was okay before properly hugging Klaus.

Klaus wasn’t sure how long they hugged for, how long Dave held him but he knew it was far longer than a normal hug. When he finally pulled away, Dave kept his arms loose and seemed ready to restart the hug if needed.

It was tempting, the idea of taking another pill and then letting Dave hold him but then Dave gave him an encouraging smile after they parted, “We’ll-- We’ll get you through this, okay Klaus? I know the comedown is rough, but I’m here for you.”

“Only until you know the truth,” Klaus mumbled, starting to turn away.

“Klaus?” Dave asked, looking very worried. “Did something happen? Are you okay?”

Klaus wrapped his arms around himself, “Why don’t you ask my sister?”

“Your sister? Why would I ask her?” Dave asked. “Did she do something?”

Klaus scoffed. Did she do something? She wrote a book that she happily gave to the world. It wasn’t an accident or a spur of the moment decision. It had to take her a while to write it, then to get it published. And she did this knowingly. “She’s more than willing to tell you _everything_ about me.” He scratched at his arms. “And she thinks she knows what it’s like-- what I’m like and she’ll tell you. She’ll tell you _everything_. And then you’ll hate me too just like everyone else and you’d be right to! All of your questions about me, _finally_ answered and--”

One of Dave’s hands was over his mouth, the other was on his hand, stopping him from scratching his arms up, “I don’t need to know anything you don’t want to tell me.” Ben scoffed, but was left unheard by Dave who continued, “I respect your privacy Klaus. You can tell me anything, but only if you’re ready. I won’t force you, and if you never tell me then it’s not something I need to know.” He slowly pulled the hand that was off Klaus’s mouth off and then laid it gently on the other of Klaus’s arms.

_“Good Samaritan,”_ Ben sighed. “Think he means it?”

Klaus looked to Ben sitting in his usual chair and nodded. When he looked back at Dave he looked almost heart broken. “Don’t read any new books, Dave. All of them are bad.”

Dave’s gave a small smile, “Okay, I won’t. Won’t even look in bookstores when I walk past.”

Klaus then nodded at Dave, “Good. Good.” He worried his bottom lip a little, tried to scratch at his arms but Dave’s hands were still over his. “You promise?”

“That I won’t read any new books? Cross my heart. I’ll just reread Dune, how about that?” Dave’s voice was low and soothing.

“That you won’t push or make me talk,” Klaus clarified.

“Have I yet?” Dave questioned, honestly questioned. As if he was worried he had already pushed too much.

Klaus shook his head, “No. Not at all. But you-- you’re curious.”

“Of course I am,” Dave agreed. “I like you, you’re my friend. But I’ll respect any boundaries you put up because I care about you.”

Klaus started crying again. 

“I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. He’s too good for you,” Ben said.

Dave hugged him again. Talking softly about how good Klaus was and what he liked about him. He kept comparing him to baked goods. Klaus ended up laughing some while crying. If anyone was like a baked good it was Dave. So warm and gentle, comforting. 

Klaus was a bad bake.

“C’mon,” Dave got up, and reached out to help Klaus stand, “let’s go bake some bread.” He kept the blanket wrapped around Klaus and led him downstairs to the bakery.

“You want me to help?” Klaus asked, unsure. He was still high, clearly not allowed in a kitchen, if he ever would be.

“Sure, we’re going to make some bread,” Dave said. “I could use your help.”

“Can it-- can we make raisin bread?” Klaus asked hesitantly. “Mom would make it sometimes, when dad wasn’t home. He hates raisins.”

“Yeah?” Dave asked. “We’ll make raisin bread then.”

Klaus smiled. 

Dave went to a drawer and handed Klaus an apron with penguins in chef hats on it. Dave put on one with sunflowers. Dave winked at him as he started to get out all the ingredients, talking as he went, “We’re starting with bread flour.”

“There are other flours?” Klaus asked, getting closer to look at it. It looked like normal flour to him. 

Dave laughed. And surprisingly, Klaus didn’t feel like he was laughing _at_ Klaus. It wasn’t mean or harsh. Dave had never been anything but nice to Klaus, so he wasn’t sure why it was such a surprise still, but he had just gotten used to being laughed at so often, getting split open at the seams from other’s laughter--

Klaus watched as Dave put the ingredients into a mixing bowl, telling Klaus what each ingredient did to help the bread become bread. 

He’d used golden raisins instead of the normal brown ones. “Let’s make it a little happier, shall we?”

He then put some flour down on the table and plopped the dough on it, stepping back, he gestured for Klaus, “I’d like it if you kneaded the dough.”

“Me?” Klaus gestured to himself.

“You seem-- _upset_ ,” Dave said slowly. “I know when I'm upset kneading dough has always helped.”

Klaus stood where Dave had been, in front of the bread. He gave Dave a glance and didn’t start until Dave gave him a nod and a smile. Letting go of the blanket around his shoulders, it stayed put as he kneaded. 

It felt

Good.

Dave had been right, he was feeling better, working his frustrations into the dough. After a little bit though, Dave put a hand on his shoulder, “We don’t want to overwork it, Klaus. When the bread is overworked it becomes tough, when things get overworked it often can’t handle the stress of the heat and it may crumble.”

Klaus stepped back and Dave put a towel over the dough, “We’ll let it rest for about ten minutes. Meantime you can mix the cinnamon mixture we’re going to put in it.” 

Dave talked Klaus through a simple cinnamon mixture and then he handed Klaus a rolling pin. Told him to make a rectangle out of the dough. It was a lot harder than Klaus thought it would be, the dough sometimes wanting to spring back but Dave stood by him, giving him tips and helping him.

“You did it!”

Klaus grinned down at the rectangle of dough, “I did.”

He stepped aside once more, so Dave could cut it into three long strips. “Take the cinnamon and put it all down the center of these.” Dave watched as Klaus, careful as he could, did as instructed. He wasn’t very good though, his hands were shaking a bit and he thought he got as much cinnamon to the side of the dough as he did in it.

“That’s perfect.”

“It’s a mess,” Klaus argued.

“Sometimes messes are good,” Dave responded with a grin. They paused for a bit, both just looking at each other. Klaus wasn’t sure what Dave was thinking but Klaus-- he’d never heard that messes could be good.

And lord knew he was a mess.

“Anyway,” Dave said after clearing his throat, “let’s pinch these up so they’re little tubes of cinnamon.”

“Are we making three small long breads?” Klaus asked, confused as to what exactly they were doing. This was nothing like Grace’s raisin bread. It was more fun than her’s, he knew that much.

“We’re braiding it,” Dave answered, lining up the three lumps of dough. He put flour on his hands and Klaus watched as Dave confidently braided them together. He moved swiftly, clearly knowing how to work his hands. 

“Wow,” Klaus gasped, seeing the bread looking like a real loaf of bread. “Is it ready for the oven?”

“Not yet. We have to let it sit somewhere warm for a bit, so it can grow bigger,” Dave picked it up and put it in some sort of drawer. 

“It’s always warm here,” Klaus said as he jumped up to sit on the counter while Dave cleaned it up. “Not just-- not just warm but it’s _warm_.”

“So eloquent,” Ben said, having to put his own two cents in.

Klaus hissed at him to shut up before trying to wrangle his thoughts together. “It’s warm because of the bakery. Keeps the cold out, _yes._ But also it’s warm because of you, Dave. You’re warm on the inside. Like the tunnels of cinnamon, braided into a bread.”

Dave smiled at Klaus, a big and warm smile, “You think I’m warm, huh?”

Klaus nodded, sure of himself, “Yes.”

“I’m glad to know-- _I’m glad that you--_ that you feel safe here, Klaus,” Dave put a hand on Klaus’s knee. “You’re safe here.”

Klaus felt himself blushing and he looked away. Klaus Hargreeves didn’t blush. Nothing could make him do that anymore, but maybe-- maybe Dave could. He felt butterflies in his stomach, something he hadn’t felt in ages. A simple crush, that’s all this was. 

And that’s all it would stay as.

Dave had made it clear he didn’t want to sleep with Klaus.

But that was okay, Klaus would take what he could get of Dave and hold it close, keep him warm.

The chatted for a bit, Dave handing over the box of raisins that Klaus slowly ate. After what seemed like _forever_ , Dave brought out the bread.

Klaus had nearly forgotten about it.

“It’s huge!” Klaus said surprised. “It grew so much!”

Dave laughed, “Yes it did. Now it goes in the oven. Baking will take less time than the proving did.”

“Proving?” Klaus asked.

“When I had put it in the drawer, to make it bigger,” Dave said, putting it into the oven. 

“Are we eating it? Tonight? Or-- or is it for the Rolling Scones tomorrow?” Klaus popped a few raisins in his mouth and chewed. He wondered if he could sneak in a pill with his raisins. He wasn’t at all close to sober but he also wanted to be high. 

But if he was much higher, like he had been earlier, he’d be missing time with Dave. He frowned at the thought. Sure, he would be safe to get that high at Dave’s, and Dave never seemed to mind, but he’d be missing Dave. 

“We can eat some tonight, and if we don’t eat it all tonight, we can finish it at breakfast,” Dave said. 

Before too long, the bread was out of the oven and it was beautiful. 

“Do you want a glaze on it?” Dave asked. 

“Aren’t those hard to make?” Klaus wondered.

“No, a simple glaze for this would be good. Powdered sugar and milk. If we wanted to get fancy, add some butter or vanilla,” Dave started grabbing ingredients.

“Can we get fancy?” Klaus said.

“Always,” Dave grabbed the vanilla.

They made a thin glaze and Dave had Klaus pour it over the bread.

When they cut into it, the cinnamon was in little pockets throughout and the golden raisins looked beautiful in it. “Dave, this is-- _and I don’t put this lightly,_ the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Dave laughed, and once again, he _wasn’t_ laughing at Klaus.

Klaus looked up from the raisin bread then and thought, _Oh, I was wrong. He’s the most beautiful things I”ve ever seen._


	4. Laugh, I Nearly Died

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm drunkl and here you go

The weather was starting to get noticeably warmer and Dave was worried. If Klaus wouldn’t get frostbite and hypothermia from sleeping outside, would he stop coming to Dave for safety and shelter? He had hoped that he proved himself a friend to Klaus, and that he could continue to show up for safety or just because they were friends.

Dave liked to think they were friends.

Dave thought they were friends.

Klaus had been staying with him off and on for a while now and he made Dave laugh every time. He really liked Klaus a lot. He was funny, witty, charming. Dave loved making Klaus smile. Sometimes it was harder, a bad come down or recently left an ex who hit him, had run into Diego or one of the other siblings that Dave had only heard about. 

Dave did not have very many positive opinions about Klaus’s family. He knew his dad was a very bad man and that his siblings did not support Klaus at all. He was still working with the idea that they came from a crime family because a few of the stories Klaus told suggested they were taught how to fight and pick locks and it was all very shady. 

It hurt, knowing that Klaus was taught how to fight and yet he always let people hit him. He never even raised a hand in self defense. 

Dave was glad he could be there for Klaus though, a safe place.

Safer than his brother’s.

If Dave ever met Diego he’d both thank him and yell at him. Because for years Diego seemed to be Klaus’s safe place, the only one who would look out for him, but he also didn’t understand Klaus. Not that Dave did, not fully, but he accepted Klaus more than Diego seemed to. 

He never asked more of Klaus than Klaus was willing to give.

Dave checked by his dumpster each night still, even though he hadn’t found Klaus there since he had gotten higher than Dave had ever seen after his sister had spilled some of his secrets to someone. He wasn’t sure on the details, but he knew that whatever his sister had done really hurt him.

After she betrayed Klaus’s trust, Dave had to work a little bit to get Klaus to trust him again. While baking the raisin bread together helped and simply being there for Klaus helped, he was still short with Dave some. 

He’d also gotten very paranoid about books and Dave did not understand why.

Then one night when Dave hadn’t seen Klaus in a while, he hadn't heard from him, but Dave woke to noises in his apartment. He grabbed the bat he kept next to his bed and started to sneak out to see who was there. 

He heard a familiar voice whisper, _“Shh, Ben. Shut up.”_

He turned on the light, knowing Klaus didn’t like the dark. And what he saw was Klaus laying on the ground like he just fell through the open window and looking all worried. “Klaus?” Dave put the bat down and helped his friend up. “Are you okay?”

“Um, yeah. Sorry I woke you,” Klaus said softly. “Can I-- Can I come in?”

Dave laughed slightly, “You’re already here. But you’re always welcome here.” He sat Klaus down on the sofa and looked him over. He didn’t look like he’d been hurt recently and he seemed fairly with it. Dave felt himself soften at seeing Klaus safe on his sofa. “Why didn't you just use the door?”

Klaus chewed his lip a bit, a sign that he was worried. Dave began to worry himself. If Klaus was panicking over something-- “I wasn’t sure if you’d let me in.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Dave reached out and put his hand on Klaus’s arm. “I haven’t done anything have I?”

“It’s warm out,” Klaus leaned into Dave’s touch, almost as if he didn’t realize he was doing so. “You brought me into the warmth.”

“I’d like to think you can rely on me for more than warmth,” Dave said. “Friendship, for example.”

Klaus grabbed Dave’s hand with his and entwined their fingers together, “Friendship.”

Dave really hoped Klaus didn’t realize how much he wanted to kiss him. To say _more than friendship_. But he couldn’t--

Klaus had thought that Dave would throw him out because the weather was nicer. He knew he couldn’t declare romantic feelings to Klaus when he still expected to be thrown out at a moment’s notice. 

_Oh_ Klaus would sleep with Dave, he was certain of that. But it would be wrong, he would be taking advantage of him. Klaus was already previously abused by so many and Dave did not want to be added to the list. He was a mentally ill homeless person relying on Dave for shelter and safety and food. He could not let himself take advantage of that.

Maybe one day he could broach the subject with Klaus, but not when Klaus was still unsure of his place in Dave’s life. Until then it would be very wrong of Dave to ask that of Klaus.

After all, he never asked more of Klaus than Klaus was willing to give.

Dave made sure Klaus was unharmed before getting up and getting him something to eat. He got him a scone and then asked what Klaus wanted to drink with it. When Klaus told him something with alcohol Dave nodded. He fixed them both some drinks and went back to the living room. 

Klaus looked almost surprised that his drink was alcoholic like he’d asked.

He always looked surprised when Dave respected Klaus.

Klaus picked at his scone and then looked to the chair Ben tended to sit in for him. “What? _No._ That has to be a lie.”

At first Klaus had tried to hide his responses to Ben. But he’d let too much slip when he’d been concussed. When it became clear that Dave wasn’t going to ask a lot about Ben or try and tell him Ben wasn’t real Klaus opened up more. He didn’t try and whisper his responses and he would acknowledge him fully, sometimes having a whole conversation with him.

Dave wasn’t sure if Ben was a response to trauma or drugs, maybe both, but he knew Klaus relied on him. He’d also realized that Ben wasn’t always around and Dave could not figure out the circumstances that let Klaus see him. 

“What is Ben lying about?” Dave asked. He always kept his tone as open as he could whenever he spoke of Ben to Klaus. Most of the time Klaus responded happily, letting Dave know or telling him he doesn’t need to know what Ben said because Ben was being a shit-heel. But sometimes Klaus closed up, saying he didn’t need Dave making fun of him. _Ben was real_ and he didn’t need Dave being a prick and asking what Klaus’s ‘hallucination’ was saying.

Ben was real to Klaus and that was enough for Dave.

“He uh,” Klaus scratched at the inside of his elbow, “pointed out that-- Did I ever tell you that your scones are better than heroin?”

“I don’t think so? I know you’ve said you like my scones,” Dave said. Klaus had said he liked everything Dave baked but he always seemed to enjoy the scones the most. “But that’s such a nice compliment! Thank you, Klaus!”

Klaus blushed, “Oh. _Yeah._ But um, Ben said that since-- since we became _friends_ \-- I haven’t done heroin. Um.” He seemed taken aback by the news. “But that can’t be right.” Ben said something that Klaus didn’t like. He hissed at the chair. “Shut up, don’t _psychoanalyse_ me on some bullshit you picked up from going to rehab with me.”

Dave raised his eyebrows. 

He wondered if it was unusual for someone’s hallucination to psychoanalyse themself. The mind trying to make them see reason? Dave was just a baker, he would not try to figure it out. He would be there for Klaus though, on however this all turned out.

While Klaus had a hushed and angry argument with Ben, Dave yawned. Klaus suddenly stopped yelling at Ben and turned to Dave. “Oh, I woke you up didn’t I? _Shit_. Let’s just go to bed. You go on back, I’ll finish my scone, promise. I know where all the blankets and pillows are.”

Dave nodded and went to get up. Before he stood all the way, he put a hand on Klaus’s shoulder, “You’ll still be here when I wake up?” He was worried. He wasn’t sure what all Klaus was going through. Something was going through his mind and troubling him, that was clear with whatever was going on with Ben. Maybe he should stay and help Klaus figure it out.

“I promise. _Now shoo!_ Go on, go,” Klaus said with a smile. “Ben and I will keep quiet. I may even get some sleep!”

“Please do,” Dave replied, letting himself be led to his bedroom by Klaus.

For once Klaus was the one who tucked Dave into bed instead of Dave making sure Klaus was feeling safe and secure for him to sleep.

In the morning Dave was glad to see Klaus asleep on the sofa. 

He tried to be quiet as he fixed himself his breakfast. He wasn’t sure how much sleep Klaus had gotten lately or how late he’d stayed up talking to Ben. Dave managed to get ready for work without waking Klaus. Leaving a note that he was down in the bakery, he went to open up shop.

A few hours later Klaus whispered at Dave from the backroom of the bakery. Dave turned and smiled, “No one is here, you’re safe to come out.”

Klaus nodded and then came to stand next to Dave behind the counter. He then looked around with a critical eye, as if double checking that they were alone. “Listen, Dave. I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything,” Dave said with a warm smile. 

Klaus looked around the room again before shoving some money into Dave’s hands, “I saved up. See? I had to save a little at a time because Ben is around a lot, y’know? And I don’t want him to know. Sometimes I was able to save more than usual because he doesn’t stick around if he thinks my clients won’t hurt me.”

Dave looked down at the money in his hands. He wasn’t sure what was all happening. Was Klaus trying to pay him back? Dave didn’t mind all the money or items Klaus took. He didn’t enjoy hearing about some of Klaus’s clients hurting him. He knew they would sometimes, but he didn’t like being reminded. “What? Klaus--”

“Ben isn’t here right now and I want to keep it a secret. Can you help me go to the beach? It’ll be a surprise for Ben. Um. I mean, I can get there on my own, y’know? A bus or something. _I’m resourceful._ But-- But I just thought--”

“We can make a weekend of it,” Dave said, organizing the money he was handed and once it was straightened out he put it back in Klaus’s hand. “You keep this, for now at least.”

“I should pay,” Klaus said, trying to hand the money back over again. 

“For now, just hold on to it. I’ll get my car out of storage and you can help pay for gas and any hotel rooms, okay?” Dave said in his calmest voice. “We can head out Friday night and come back Monday morning.”

“But,” Klaus paused and frowned. “But you’ll have to close the Rolling Scones. Over the weekend! It’s your busiest time! No, just take the money and make some plans? And then I’ll follow the plans and come back.”

“I can take a vacation, Klaus,” Dave said. “In fact, I’d love to take a vacation with you.”

“And Ben.”

“And Ben,” Dave agreed.

Klaus hung around for the next few days. He’d disappear a few times, sometimes higher than usual, sometimes shaking, once with a split lip but a smile when he saw Dave. 

Friday morning Klaus looked around, something Dave had learned the last few days meant he was making sure Ben wasn’t around to overhear the plans. Turned out Ben wanted to see the ocean. Dave couldn’t pinpoint the feeling it gave him, watching his friend who Dave cared deeply for check and make sure his imaginary friend wasn’t around because they were planning a surprise for him. 

“Are we ready?” Klaus asked.

“I have clothes packed for both of us. Some of yours is stuff you’ve left and some of it is my stuff that might fit. I hope you don’t mind,” Dave replied. “My car is outside, got gas in it and my old mix CDs that I made years ago so I have no idea what is on them.”

“That’ll be fun,” Klaus smirked.

“Are you ready?” Dave questioned back. “Do you-- Do you have enough drugs for the weekend?” Klaus’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I don’t want you going through withdrawal. And I don’t like the idea of you having to find a dealer, one who might not be trustworthy.”

“Dave--”

“Do you need money to get more?” Dave asked. “How much?”

“I am going to pretend _you_ didn’t just _offer_ me money,” Klaus said with a hint of a smile. “God, good Samaritans, man. You lot are crazier than me.” Giving a shrug, Klaus said, “I should have enough. Long as I don’t overdo it I’ll be fine.”

After closing the bakery that night, they packed up Dave’s car and started driving. A little ways into the ride, Klaus said, “Oh hi, Ben. Glad you could make it.” After a few moments of time, Klaus sang out, _“It’s a surprise!”_ He then turned up the music and sang loudly, laughing while he did so.

Dave hadn’t felt as happy as he did driving him and Klaus to the beach in a long time. The windows were rolled down and Klaus got Dave to sing along with his CDs and according to Klaus, Ben was joining in too. 

They didn’t live too far from the beach and they’d get to the condo Dave was renting for them after it got dark, but at least they would be able to wake up to a beach sunrise. He’d had the owners of the condo leave some food for them so he knew they wouldn’t have to go shopping right away either.

He knew the sorts of things Klaus liked to eat.

And apparently it was his scones? Which were better than heroin. And that was very high praise when coming from an addict.

When they finally arrived, Klaus was laughing loudly and looking at the back seat where Ben probably sat. “Don’t say I never do anything for you! So stop being ungrateful!” Then he turned back around and grinned widely at Dave before finally looking at where they were parked. “Dave! A condo? I figured we’d end up at some lame motel that pays by the hour.”

“You’re worth more than that,” Dave said, making Klaus give him a look. He was bewildered again. Dave had gotten used to Klaus looking confused at hearing good things about him. “C’mon. You get to help carry the bags in. I’d make Ben help but--”

“Yeah! _Lucky bastard,_ ” Klaus giggled, grabbing a bag from the back. 

They got inside and explored some. It was a two bedroom with a small living area and kitchen attached to it, the bathroom had a big soaker bathtub. A lovely porch out front. 

“Dave,” Klaus said slowly, looking around in awe, “this is-- This is amazing. How did we afford this? _Yes I helped pay. Fuck off.”_

“I know a guy,” Dave said. 

_“Oh, he knows a guy,”_ Klaus laughed. “I know a lot of guys.” He said in a flirty tone and winked.

Dave couldn’t help but scrunch up his face, “It’s my cousin. His brother-in-law owns this place and rents it out.”

“Oh shut up, Ben. Just because some of our siblings were incesty doesn’t mean Dave is with his cousin,” Klaus bit out.

Dave paused what he was doing, “Our siblings?”

Klaus looked up and then over to where Ben probably was, “Ben’s my brother. He died.” Shrugging, Klaus scratched the back of his head. “It was a while ago. We’re both over it, so no need to give condolences.”

Dave nodded, “Okay. Thank you for telling me.” Klaus looked away and seemed unsure on what to do so Dave said, “Why don’t you look at the bedrooms and pick one for you.”

He watched as Klaus quickly ran into one of the bedrooms to look around. He hadn’t questioned Ben’s presence too much, and never out loud to Klaus. It was clear that Klaus relied on Ben. Knowing that he used to be his brother who has passed was painful to learn and Dave hoped that he didn’t show how much it had hurt to find out. He’d figured out early on that Klaus did not want any pity, and that wouldn’t change, learning that Ben had been Klaus’s brother.

Dave didn’t know much about the other siblings, but what he did know of them he didn’t think they would take it well when Klaus would talk to Ben or bring him up in conversation. But to Klaus, Ben was real. He was still by his side and Dave hoped that his siblings treated him with respect when it came to his mental illness and coping mechanism but he doubted it was true.

Klaus then left the first bedroom. He eyed Dave as he changed rooms and then whispered something to Ben as he went into the second bedroom.

Dave turned and busied himself with seeing what groceries were left for them. He’d grabbed a few of his own baked goods from home, something to tide them over if his cousin forgot to get them food. Thankfully he hadn’t forgotten. 

When he heard footsteps come back into the room, Dave turned, “You hungry? I can either quickly fix us something or get out some of the goodies I brought.”

Klaus shrugged, “Sure. Let’s go with the goodies.”

“You pick a room?” Dave asked, grabbing the baked goods.

Klaus swallowed a pill from his pocket, “Doesn’t matter to me.” He glared across the room and hissed something out. Dave guessed that Ben must’ve said something. Klaus then turned back to Dave and gave a slightly pained smile. 

“You okay?” Dave asked, handing over the food.

“Peachy,” Klaus said. “Or I will be soon,” he referenced the pill he just dry swallowed.

Dave smiled back at him and they chatted quietly. He could tell when the drug started to take effect for Klaus. Dave had often thought that the drugs could have started as a type of self-medication and at finding out that his dead brother haunted him, it made him think that it could be true even more. 

He hoped that him asking more about Ben wasn’t going to make things worse for Klaus. But he wasn’t prying much and Klaus knew he could just not answer Dave’s questions.

They soon went to bed, Dave helping Klaus into a bed and making sure the bedside lamp was on for him.

In the morning Dave was surprised to see Klaus already awake. He gave Dave a broken smile as he waved, cigarette in hand. He was looking out towards the ocean. Dave stood next to him and looked out, “You’re up early.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Klaus said. “Ben’s having fun though,” he gestured with his spare hand as he took a drag. “Out there, standing in the waves. _Which_ by the way are very cold.”

“You went out there?”

Klaus shrugged, “Ben wanted to share it with me some. Stick my toes in the sand like he can’t. It’s warmer in here though.”

Dave wrapped an arm around Klaus’s shoulders, “Yeah, it’s still early spring. Ocean will still be pretty cold.” Klaus’s eyes darted to the side and Dave wondered what he saw there. He’d just said Ben was out in the ocean but depending on the drugs he was taking he had some other hallucinations before. “Want to walk out there? Look for some shells? We don’t need to go into the ocean.”

Klaus nodded, “Yeah. _Yeah._ Let’s do that, Dave.” 

As Dave grabbed a light jacket for himself he saw Klaus swallow a few pills. He then grabbed Dave’s hand and pulled him outside, “Let’s go.”

They stumbled onto the sand together.

Klaus laughed a few times, telling Dave what Ben was doing on the beach that was so amusing. “Thank you for taking me here,” he knocked shoulders with Dave as they walked.

“Anything to make you smile,” Dave said.

_“Hoo-hoo!_ Be careful there, David! Sounds like someone _likes_ me,” Klaus twirled in the sand. 

“I do like you,” Dave rolled his eyes. “We _are_ friends.”

Klaus gave him a cheeky grin, “Sure. That’s how you like me. _As friends._ ” 

Dave shrugged. It wasn’t a lie. He did like Klaus as a friend. And he would be open to the idea of more if he knew he wasn’t taking advantage of Klaus. He would not be like the others in Klaus’s life. 

Maybe one day.

They walked for a ways and then decided to turn back around and go back to the condo. Upon the way back, Dave noticed Klaus was shivering in the ocean breeze. He took his jacket off and draped it over Klaus’s shoulders. Klaus then gave him a _look_ and undrapped his shoulder closest to Dave before putting that side onto Dave. Sharing a laugh, they huddled together under the jacket as they walked back.

Klaus’s arm was warm where it was pressed against Dave’s skin. 

“You’re warm,” Klaus snickered at him. “You’re always so warm.”

“So are you,” Dave replied.

“Ah! I just leech off you,” Klaus shrugged. “But I’ll happily take anything you give me.”

“Klaus--” Dave started when Klaus flinched violently and swore.

“Christ on a cracker! _Don’t do that,_ ” he was obviously not talking to Dave. “Just fuck off, will you?” He was glaring beside them and then he looked out towards the ocean. Before Dave could ask what was happening for him, Klaus grabbed Dave’s arm and pulled them back towards the condo.

Once they were inside Klaus shut all the blinds and then took at least one more pill. 

Dave frowned. It was unusual for Klaus to take so much so soon. Maybe he was wanting to zone out like he did a few times around Dave. Feeling safe around Dave. But with how he was clearly upset with _something_ he was seeing and how the drugs were _probably_ part of self-medication--

Dave was a little worried.

With how Klaus was with drugs, when Dave realized he would get his wish and see Klaus more, he’d done some research. He’d looked up what it was like to become an addict, how to help addicts, signs of overdosing and how to help someone who was. He’d always thought that addicts were people too and so whenever the reading started blaming them he quickly closed that website and found a new one.

Yes, he had seen Klaus drugged so much that he was very out of it, but he’d had yet to see signs of an overdose.

Dave made them breakfast.

“How was your outing?” Klaus asked the empty chair to his side. Which wasn’t the one he’d been glaring at. 

Who or what else was Klaus seeing?

When they were done eating Klaus glared daggers at a corner, “Let’s go back outside, Dave. Enjoy the beach.” He grabbed his coat and handed Dave his before taking another pill.

Dave hoped Klaus slowed down on the drugs soon.

Once they were outside Klaus was giggling and laughing again. He said they were going to shop for seashells and seaglass. Along the way of combing the beach, Klaus found a stick and made Dave guess what he was drawing as he did. A sort of seapictionary.

He drew a penis.

And a penis.

The third thing was a penis.

Dave laughed each time, very charmed by his friend. 

Then Klaus drew two stick figures. He wrote their names under them. They held hands and both had large penises. 

Klaus said something to Ben that Dave didn’t catch. 

“Okay! We are at a beach!” Klaus said, kicking his shoes off. “C’mon Dave!” he grabbed at Dave’s hand and clumsily pulled him towards the ocean. Dave quickly kicked his shoes off as well and they splashed in the cold water. Dave made sure Klaus didn’t get very far into the water, always pulling him back.

Dave thought he saw Klaus take another pill, but he wasn’t sure.

They went back inside for lunch.

It all went to hell a little after they ate.

Klaus yelled loudly at a corner of the room and then took _more_ drugs.

It didn’t take long before Dave started recognizing the signs of an overdose.

“Hey, Klaus,” Dave said, holding him close as Klaus was clearly having trouble breathing. Klaus had started with stumbling more and not making any sense before muttering about chest pains before his breathing started to go out. “Hey, do you know what you’ve been taking?”

Klaus muttered an answer as Dave called the emergency services for an ambulance. 

Dave spoke to them on the phone, making sure Klaus was still talking and breathing. When Klaus then started to throw up, they were able to help Dave through the situation and how best to help Klaus.

He rode the ambulance with him and when they asked he did claim he was Klaus’s partner. He figured the little lie was okay, he needed to be there for his friend. Claiming partnership was a way for him to be there.

He didn’t follow what all the doctors were doing, but he knew whatever it was, it was for Klaus. Dave told them what he knew about Klaus and his addiction. He was very glad when they said that Dave had done right and that Klaus would pull through.

Dave sat down and held Klaus’s hand until he woke up.

“Oh,” Klaus said, voice rough. “Not used to someone alive being here for me.” Dave was still holding Klaus’s hand. He bent down and kissed Klaus’s knuckles. “This is nice.”

“I was so worried,” Dave whispered. He hated how Klaus flinched at hearing that. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Sorry,” Klaus looked away. “Didn’t mean to. He didn’t go away, Dave. _He didn’t leave._ ” He then turned to Dave and he looked so broken, so afraid. “Normally it’s just Ben, y’know? He’s my brother and I can deal with him, _but the others,_ ” he swallowed.

“Others?” Dave asked, worried.

Klaus nodded, “I don’t-- I don’t just see Ben. He’s the best. And he’s why the others-- they’re _super jealous_ that they don’t get to hang with Ben still.” Dave let out a weak laugh. “Dave I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. But _he wouldn’t leave._ ”

“Who?” Dave asked.

Klaus shrugged, “Some guy. Angry. _Sorry._ He was in the house and he wouldn't leave like the others.”

“No, no,” Dave said, tightening his grip on Klaus’s hand. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. You’re safe, alright? We don’t have to go back to the condo. When the hospital gives the okay we’ll go home. That’s okay, right?”

“Your home is warm,” Klaus said, tears in his eyes. 

Dave nodded, “It’s so much warmer with you in it.”

Dave did not leave Klaus’s side while he was in the hospital. Which seemed like the right choice as Klaus was very agitated by being in a hospital. He didn’t like it, said it was too loud and wanted out, he wanted drugs. Dave got him out as soon as he could. Once they were safe in Dave’s car, Klaus shot him a look and he quickly took a pill. He then handed the bulk, if not the rest, of them to Dave. 

“You can make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Dave wanted to cry but instead he just nodded and pocketed the drugs before driving to the condo. “I’ll grab our stuff, stay here.” Dave turned the radio on and went inside to get their stuff as soon as he could. If he forgot something his cousin could mail it to him.

“Let’s go home,” Dave said, starting to drive away.

“Home,” Klaus agreed, small smile on his face.


	5. Everybody Needs Somebody to Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright! finally done. woo! i do have more planned for these two and i'm excited to write those stories so hopefully i'll do it soon? no promises tho. hope y'all enjoy the last chapter.

Klaus found the cursed vase by accident. That’s usually how it happened, he rarely went searching for it. But it was four in the morning and he’d woken up from a nightmare and decided to make some ramen so he was trying to quietly find a nice pan to cook it in.

“You should wake up Dave,” Ben said, perched on the counter.

“He’ll be up soon,” Klaus replied, carefully cradling the vase. He’d need to find a suitable hiding place for Dave now. Maybe in his closet behind the bowling ball. The bowling ball was just in a bag, sitting there, waiting to be used. Klaus had asked about it and Dave said he didn’t even go bowling. _So why--_

“You’re high,” Ben interrupted Klaus’s thoughts. “You know Dave doesn’t like it when you cook alone when high.”

“I’m not alone, I got you,” Klaus winked at Ben. “And I want some ramen.”

“I don’t count,” Ben rolled his eyes. “First, if you start a fire, I can’t put it out. Second, Dave still thinks I’m a hallucination.”

Klaus blinked slowly, “He does?” He carefully set the vase down on the sofa so he could hide it later. Dave didn’t act like Ben was a hallucination. He would ask about Ben, what he said, where he was standing. He’d say hi to him too, after Klaus pointed to where Ben was. “But you’re real.”

Ben sighed deeply, “I know that. But you haven’t told him you’re the Seancé yet. He doesn’t know you talk to ghosts.”

_“Awkward,”_ Klaus said as he went back in search of a small enough pan. Why did Dave only own big ones. Where was Klaus’s ramen pan? He debated lighting a joint as he searched but then he thought of his recent overdose.

He hadn’t meant to, but then he never did.

What had amazed him was that Dave didn’t start to pressure him about his drugs. Nothing beyond trying to make sure Klaus didn’t take it too far again. A small comment, asking Klaus if it was needed. 

Sometimes it was.

When Klaus would tell him it was needed, as he saw a ghost who _would not go away_ , Dave always just nodded and promised to keep him safe. During those times, Klaus sort of worried, in a drugged detachment, as that was what had caused the overdose at the beach. The condo had been haunted by someone who drowned nearby. Klaus hadn’t wanted to deal with him but he wouldn’t leave Klaus alone. 

And then Klaus had woken up in a hospital, not something new for him. What was new was that Dave was there. He’d never had the pleasure of waking up next to someone who cared about him. Not like Dave did. 

A few times, before Dave, it was Diego or Vanya but both had been taken off his emergency contact list. Vanya because Klaus hated making her cry and Diego because _he_ told Klaus to take him off, that he wasn’t going to _do this_ anymore. 

So having Dave there was something new, something Klaus never realized he wanted.

Not that he _wanted_ to overdose; but knowing that _someone living_ cared about him?

Since the beach, Klaus had mostly been living with Dave. Every so often he felt guilty and left for a few days. Sleeping in shelters, in someone else’s bed, on someone else’s sofa. But then he’d come back.

Missing Dave.

His laugh, his smile, _his warmth._

He wished Dave missed him like how Klaus did.

However Dave was usually right about the drugs and it wasn’t needed. He’d forgotten how much he’d taken and Dave would just remind him, keeping track better than Klaus did on what he’d taken.

Maybe it meant Dave did care for Klaus the same way Klaus did for him-- the fact that he didn’t pressure Klaus into quitting and being sober, didn’t pressure Klaus into giving up his secrets, didn’t pressure Klaus into his bed.

_Honestly though,_ Klaus would be okay with the last one.

But sometimes Klaus thought it meant the opposite. 

That Dave didn’t care for him much. He was _just_ a good Samaritan and was worried for his fellow human being. That’s why he’d let Klaus stay. No other reason.

But then Dave would smile at him and Klaus--

Klaus would _melt_.

“It’s by the sink,” Dave’s voice said, very close to him. Klaus turned and found his friend smiling warmly at him. Dave gestured to the sink where there were dishes drying next to it. “The pan you use to make ramen? You’d used it yesterday to make some and never put it away.”

Klaus paused, thinking back. He _had_ made ramen the day before. He had also taken two bites and decided he’d rather eat something Dave made as it was _always_ better and then gave the rest to some pigeons outside.

He’d told the pigeons that it was okay, just think of the noodles as if they were worms, they looked the same after all. He’d gotten distracted then when Dave laughed and Klaus had to watch him smile and be happy because of something Klaus said.

Then a pigeon bit his hand.

“How’d you know I wanted ramen?” Klaus narrowed his eyes slightly. 

“Heard you talking about it,” Dave came up and put a hand on Klaus’s shoulder. “Another nightmare?”

Klaus shrugged. The nightmares weren’t new and Dave was well aware of it. He’d helped Klaus enough times now when he woke up from them that half the time Dave was already there, by his side, talking him through the memories, listening to Klaus plead for his dad to let him out, for the ghosts to leave him alone. 

Dave always let Klaus hold his wrist, feeling his heartbeat with his fingertips as Dave talked him through how to calm his breathing.

While it was always nice to have Dave beside him when he woke up from his nightmares, he hated making Dave lose sleep. “Did I wake you?”

Dave gave a small smile, “You were banging the pots and pans loudly.”

“Not the only thing I could be banging loudly,” Klaus winked.

He had made many jokes with Dave, more and more as they grew closer. Dave never shut down the jokes, he’d usually soften and smile, looking at Klaus as if he was _fond_ of Klaus’s dirty humor. The only times Dave had been forceful about how he wasn’t interested was those first few times when Klaus thought sex was all Dave wanted of him. Dave had tried really hard to make Klaus see that he wanted something different from him.

Klaus really hoped he was fulfilling whatever Dave was wanting.

He wasn’t sure if he was.

He had no idea what Dave saw in him, not when Dave was so-- _beautiful._ Klaus knew what others saw in him: a disappointment, a junkie, someone who could have sex with and then ignore, someone who you could hurt and wouldn’t complain or fight back, someone not worth anyone’s care in the long-term.

However Klaus often was caught off guard to Dave telling him how wonderful he was. How much he liked Klaus, compared him to baked goods and explained why Klaus was like the baked good. Hell, half the time Dave said the name of some food he was using it as an endearment to Klaus instead of talking about the food.

“Noodle wants some noodles?” Dave chuckled, handing over the pan. 

_“Dave--”_ Klaus whined. “I’m not a noodle.” 

Although,

If he was then maybe Dave would slurp him up like one.

God he needed to keep it in his pants. Dave had made it clear he was just interested in friendship.

Klaus filled the pan with water, “Do you want any? We can share! Like those dogs in that movie!”

Dave laughed, “Lady and the tramp?”

“Yeah!” Klaus nodded. They’d watched it the other day. Klaus enjoyed it immensely. “I’m obviously the tramp. _Oh_ but that means your lady. That’s okay right? Lady is a good little fancy girl.”

Dave grinned, “I’m fine with being Lady.” He casually put an arm around Klaus’s shoulders as he dropped the pack of dried noodles in the water. “I see you found grandma’s vase.”

“I did,” Klaus agreed, poking the noodles with a fork. Dave’s arm was still around his shoulders, providing some warmth. He idly wondered if the butterflies in his stomach felt anything like Ben’s tummy tentacles. 

“I like mine--” Dave started.

“I know, I know,” Klaus rolled his eyes. “You like your ramen where the noodles aren’t cooked completely. _You monster._ I shall take your half out and then finish cooking mine.” 

“Thanks, pork chop,” Dave said, hand tightening its grip for a second before becoming loose again.

_Fuck._

Klaus loved him.

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Klaus had never loved someone like he did Dave. Not his family, not himself, _no one_. How could he? When all the others took and stole and never provided any _warmth_. He’d spent his life being cold. Chilled to the bone with more than the ghosts, the weather, poor circulation. But here, with Dave. In front of the stove, noodles boiling away, Dave’s arm around his shoulders--

Always so warm.

_Fuck._

God they aren’t even dating!

Yet?

Not dating yet?

He’d have to come up with a pros and cons of dating him as well as with reasons for Dave to give him a chance. Dave worked well with logic. He could maybe make Dave realize it would be okay if he dated Klaus. A bit block in the road would be the fact that Dave thought Klaus hallucinated Ben. He didn’t know the truth about Klaus, about his powers.

He could come clean about being in the Umbrella Academy but then--

The judgement would start.

He really didn’t want Dave to judge him.

“Your noodles are done,” Klaus pulled about half of them out of the pan along with a very small amount of the broth before putting in half the packet of flavor powder and handing it over. “For you, my flying dove.”

Dave grinned deeply, his whole face lighting up with it, “Thank you, honey bunches of oats.” He grabbed the uncooked noodles in powder and started eating after making sure they were mixed enough.

Klaus made a fact at the man _who he loved_ before finally deciding his noodles were now done and without draining water, he added the rest of the flavor packet.

They ate their ramen in near silence. They spoke only a little. Klaus still sometimes had to be drawn out into talking during meals because of the years where he wasn’t allowed. If they were in a restaurant Klaus would never have problems remembering he could speak freely but when at a table? He sometimes found himself reverting to the habit of eating silently. Thankfully Dave often tried to get Klaus into a conversation.

He’d told Dave a bit ago about how his dad didn’t allow talking at the table. Not even when asking to pass the salt. Dave had softened instantly, reaching out and held Klaus’s hand, squeezing tight. Since then, if Klaus wasn’t talking while they ate, Dave would try and make light conversation.

Dave had said he didn’t want Klaus to think of Dave’s apartment as anything but safe.

After they were done eating, Dave thanked him for breakfast and then started to get ready to go to the bakery. 

Once he’d left, Klaus hid the vase as well as tracked down some paper and a pen. “Ben, we need to make a pros and cons list for dating me. Pro: I’m sexy trash. Con: the trash part of that.” He frowned slightly.

Ben rolled his eyes, “I know he likes you. You don’t need a list, Klaus.”

“But he won’t fuck me, Ben!” Klaus argued back. He scratched absently at his elbow and added in a quieter voice, “He doesn’t like me like that. So I have to show him that it could be good.” He _knew_ he could please Dave in bed. Maybe if Dave didn’t want to actually date him Klaus could talk him into friends with benefits. 

Ben shook his head, “I think he’s just worried about hurting you. Good Samaritan, remember? You gotta be honest and tell him who you actually are if you are going to try and have a romantic relationship with him.”

Klaus sighed, annoyed at that idea, “But Ben! He’s always saying to share what I want and he won’t push me for info. And! I _don’t_ want to share that! Also it’s not like the Academy is relevant in my life anymore.” Klaus poked at his tattoo, unsure if Dave had even noticed it or what he thought about it. “Beyond, y’know. _You._ And the other ghosts, obviously. Them being the reason I’m high all the time.” Klaus paused for a second, “ _See?_ Not relevant.”

Ben opened and closed his mouth a few times, “What? No! That’s drug logic.”

“And you’re not on drugs, which means I win! _Ha!_ ” 

Ben let out an angered growl, “God, you do not win!”

“He wouldn't want me if he knew the truth. I gotta hold off on that until he's madly in love with me,” Klaus said, doodling an eye on the paper that just said the words _sexy trash_ on it. 

Ben sat down next to him, “Why do you think he wouldn’t want you if he knew?”

“He’d know for sure how shitty I am. From his viewpoint I had everything right? Son of a billionaire who was selfish and stupid and got kicked out, became a homeless whore. So bad that even his family don’t want to see him around. Not to mention there is a difference between thinking your boyfriend is mental and sees things and knowing that _oh no, you’re haunted_. No one likes to know ghosts are real. Sorry, Benny. It’s the truth. He’d start worrying about being alone and he’d be right to because they’re always there. Never any peace. Can’t sleep, can’t shower, can’t fuck without an audience. He’d freak out too much and I can’t--” Klaus swallowed. “I can’t go back to not having Dave in my life.” He then started drawing a penis.

“So a pros and con list is the answer?” Ben asked.

Klaus shrugged, “I don’t know how this works Ben. I’ve never had someone say no to fucking me before. We’re in uncharted waters, bro. Double uncharted as like, _I want a relationship?_ A real one? Am I stupid for thinking that it could work out with him?” Klaus worried his bottom lip as he then started drawing a trash can with him peeking out of it. Sexy trash indeed.

“You should put down that you’re good at sex in the pros,” Ben said. 

“A good addition! Thank you Bennifer!” Klaus said, quickly jotting down _fucks real good_.

They then sat in silence for a few minutes, trying to think up some good qualities Klaus could bring to the metaphorical dating table.

Klaus lit the joint he’d thought about smoking earlier, “Don’t you start. I’ll be better at brainstorming after some weed.”

“Better than a K hole,” Ben muttered in a slightly judgemental tone. 

Somehow though, after the joint, Klaus did not get any ideas for his pros and cons list and instead stared out the window thinking that the trees were prettier than him and if he could get his hands on an axe he’d show them what he thought of that.

And then it was lunch time!

The bakery was always closed a little before a normal lunch time so Dave could take his break. Klaus loved lunch time. Dave would always come up, smelling sweet like baked goods and he’d always bring a treat for Klaus. 

Today it was a lemon tart.

He munched on it as Dave made them sandwiches, telling Klaus about the customers he’d had to deal with already. Then as he sat the food in front of Klaus, he asked, “And how has your morning been?”

Klaus glanced at his pad of paper that was full of drawings and had the word _fuck_ on it, “Productive.”

“That’s good,” Dave smiled warmly at him.

Klaus melted.

They chatted some more as they ate, Dave doing more of the talking as Klaus panicked about how he was going to approach the subject of a relationship. His pros and cons list wasn’t much of a list and without it he had no argument as to why Dave should even think about dating him. 

“Gotta get back to work,” Dave said, looking at the clock. “The lunch rush is coming. Everyone wants something sweet after their fast food.”

Klaus followed Dave towards the door but stopped by the sofa, watching as Dave reached for the knob and then, without any plan, Klaus yelled, _“I want you to kiss me!”_

Dave paused and turned, eyes wide, he said, “What?”

Klaus fumbled with his hands nervously, “I want you to kiss me. Dave I-- I want you to kiss me?”

“Uh-huh,” Dave nodded absently.

“This is going well,” Ben said, sitting down in his chair to watch the show.

Klaus shot him a glare before looking back at Dave who’s expression Klaus couldn’t pinpoint, “I have been thinking about it. Actually. The-- The kissing. Um, I know it’s a stupid idea but I want to date you. Romantically. I’ve never-- I’ve never been in a real relationship let alone a good one but I want to try with you! And I know you’d never hurt me--”

“Never,” Dave whispered. 

“Right! And you’re so _warm_ to me. No one has ever treated me like how you do and I like it-- _I like you._ And I know you probably don’t feel the same way about me but I thought maybe--” Dave took long strides over to Klaus and put his hands on his shoulders. “Maybe you’d be willing to try?”

“Klaus,” Dave whispered, sounding almost broken. Oh god, he’s ruined it. Klaus had ruined the one good thing he had in his life. After his messy declaration Dave wouldn’t even want to be his friend. Who would want to be friends with someone who wants to kiss you? “Can I kiss you?”

“What? I mean _of course_ you can! I just told you that’s what I want! Like three times already!” Klaus said.

“Okay, but--” Dave swallowed, “I need to check real quick, okay? That you want this for real and not because you think you need to--”

“No! No, Dave. This isn’t like before,” Klaus tried to explain. “Now I know you’d never ask that of me. But I still um-- I still want you to kiss me. And like, do dating things? I’m very out of my comfort zone here, Dave. I know about the sex part fine but the uh, romantic stuff I’ve never done. And I want that part too! Not _just_ the kissing. But that’s a bonus.”

Dave’s hand moved off his shoulder and caressed his cheek, pulling him in closer, “It is a bonus.”

Klaus thought his insides melted before but it was nothing like this. Dave’s arms wrapped around him, keeping him from floating away as they kissed. It was nothing like any other kiss Klaus had ever had the pleasure of having. It wasn’t even close to the ones _before_. Before Dave, before this moment. Soft and gentle, like Dave always was.

Dave then pulled back slightly, smiling warmly at Klaus. 

“We are doing that again, right? The-- the kissing?” Klaus whispered.

Dave nodded, “I’m going to uh--” he cleared his throat, “Close the shop for the rest of the day. Need to put up a sign.”

“Good plan, good plan,” Klaus nodded along.

They stood there together for a few more seconds, Klaus wanted to close the distance again and start kissing once more but then Dave stepped back, “I will be _right back._ ”

Klaus looked around the room once Dave was gone. 

Ben had left. 

How nice of him.

The rest of the room looked the same. Somehow he thought it would look different. It felt like it should. All the furniture moved two inches to the left while they kissed and it was so much better than _before_.

Once Dave entered the apartment, he went right to Klaus and put his arms back around him and Klaus never wanted him to let go. 

Later Dave picked up a scrap of paper and tilted his head in question. “Sexy trash?”

“Oh! My pros and cons list!” Klaus said happily to _his boyfriend._

“A what?” Dave looked amused. “This just says sexy trash and that you fuck real good.”

“I do though, _I fuck real good,_ ” Klaus winked. He’d hoped he would have been able to show that asset to Dave already but he was wanting to take things slow because that’s how dating went? Klaus didn’t know but he decided he’d take Dave’s word on it. “I was trying to come up with a pros and cons list for dating me.”

“Oh,” Dave blinked. “I like what you went with better.”

“Kissing was much better, I agree,” Klaus said going over to snuggle next to _his boyfriend._

Dave happily put his arms around Klaus and held him close. If someone had told Klaus that sleeping next to a dumpster, like the sexy trash he was, could be the best decision he would make in his life, he’d well-- he’d probably agree because it would be better than sleeping on a park bench but he wouldn’t have guessed that it could lead to being warm and loved.

**Author's Note:**

> cowgaykermit @ tumblr


End file.
